


Chipped Souls ~Rumbelle AU~

by littlebluemonster



Series: chipped souls ~Rumbelle AU~ [1]
Category: Mr. Gold - Fandom, Once Upon A Time - Fandom, Rumbelle - Fandom, belle french - Fandom, ouat
Genre: Angst, Belle French - Freeform, F/M, Mr. Gold - Freeform, OUAT - Freeform, Once Upon A Time, Rumbelle - Freeform, Rumbelle AU - Freeform, Secrets, belle x Rumple, slow, very slow development
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-03-10 04:30:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 44,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3276812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlebluemonster/pseuds/littlebluemonster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle lives in Boston, she is studying two degrees in literature and history of art, and she works at a library. Mr. Gold goes to Boston to attend to an antiques auction.<br/>Belle lives with Pongo and Lady. Archie gave her Pongo so she didn’t feel alone in a new city, two months later, Belle found a female cocker spaniel on the streets she adopted her and named her Lady.<br/>After the tragedy that took away Bae's life, Gabriel Gold wasn't expecting anything good to happen to him but... Life has a strange sense of humor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Chp1: Gold is in Archie’s office of another of his therapy sessions. He is avoiding depression after the death of his son. He drops that he has to go to Boston and Archie has the idea of going with him to visit Belle and Pongo.

How can you describe the pain of loosing someone? And if that ‘someone’ it’s your only child? Your heart shrinks and you suddenly feel the weight of your lungs, pushing your ribs and you feel like your body is going to suffer a kind of implosion. You prepare for the worst of pains, even though you know you’re not going to be capable of handle it. And you wait, and wait to your anger and sorrow, but the implosion never comes. You suffer that insane level of pain that slightly increases when you go home and no one receives you, when you check your phone if you have no missing calls, but he is no longer there. And then you feel alone, a waste, a poor reminder that he existed.  
No parent should live the agony of burying his son.  
“So, last day we left it when Bae told you Emma was pregnant.” Archie’s voice sounded above his thoughts.  
Gabriel Gold raised his face from his hands just to let know the therapist he was still alive. He had attempted those sessions for two months, one per week and he was still hoping that, one day he’ll woke up with an incoming call of his son, telling him he wanted to have breakfast with him at Granny’s, like they used to do every day.  
“Gold?” Archie called him. Despite he was looking in the right direction, his mind was somewhere else.  
He blinked and took a deep breath. Then he nodded and tried to stay focus on the session. He had refused from the first time Emma said he should go to therapy. She knew her attempts on convincing ‘Rumplestiltskin’ as he was called in that town, were a missed effort. So she redirected the point of view. Emma also wanted Henry, his grandson, to attend those sessions so, she convinced him by saying that her son would feel more comfortable if he knew other family member was also going to Archie’s office every week.  
“Bae came one day with Emma to my shop.” he began “I was doing inventory. Only Bae entered the back room but I knew Emma was with him.”  
Archie was sitting in front of him with a pen and a bloc, but he wasn’t taking notes for now.  
“I noticed he was trying to tell me something, I always know…Knew, sorry.” Archie shook his head trying to say there was no matter with that. Sometimes, when you loose someone and you can’t avoid to talk about them in present, but you know you should talk in past. “I always knew when he was in trouble, or uncomfortable.” His fingers moved nervously around the top of his cane. “So I prepared for the worst.” Then a little smirk pulled his lips. “But I never imagined that he was going to tell me that Emma was pregnant.”  
Archie wrote something on the bloc. “And what happened next? What was your reaction?”  
“I…” Gold looked his hands. He didn’t want to talk about it, because he felt guilty. Bae was too young and so was Emma, they had their future in their hands and a kid wasn’t good for them. Both wanted to go to the same college, go to parties, hang out with friends, live their youth. He was the ‘bag guy’ in that subject. He reacted with anger and hopelessness. But when he first saw little Henry in Bae’s arms; he totally fell in love with his grandson. So little, so sweet… and he thanked his son didn’t followed his opinion.  
Then his phone ran, without making an excuse, Gold answered the call. And with a couple “yes” he raised from the couch, leaning a hand on the cane.  
“Sorry Dr. Hopper but I have work to do.”  
Archie looked at him openmouthed ready to claim.  
“The session isn’t over Gold.”  
“My obligations can’t wait, I have to go to Boston to an auction.” Gold said while he took his coat from the hanger.  
And then something made ‘click’ in Archie’s mind. He had also things to do in Boston, but he wasn’t considering on going yet. Maybe this was the chance to see Gold in his natural behavior, outside the therapy. As a result of his reputation as a lawyer and businessman no one in Storybrooke wanted anything to do with him, but after a few sessions Archie felt that under all that there was a harmed man.  
“oh! Then, can I go with you?”  
Gold looked at him with a confused look, he was sure Dr. Hopper wanted to continue the session, but he wasn’t in the mood to stand him during the whole trip.  
“Before you say no,” Archie interfered when Gold was about to answer. “I won’t bother you; I have someone to see there.”  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………  
Belle walked behind the desk carrying a heavy book and dodging the cushions where her two dogs, Lady and Pongo where sleeping. She adored that her boss was also an animal lover. Thanks to her, she could take her dogs to work after being alone at home while she was in class.  
“So, that’s all?” Belle asked the client, the man nodded and said bye with a smile. “Have a nice day!”  
After that, she walked to the left area of the library and check that the “Poet’s night” was going on well. She was so tired and yet her obligations claimed her. In moments like that she blamed herself for studying two degrees, for living away from home, for working to pay her apartment. She needed more time to study, she needed to maintain her scholarship. But Belle had no more hours left. She suddenly remember what her Best Friend, Ruby, told her two years ago when she received the acceptance letter. “You are going to Boston? That’s amazing! You will live a free student's life! Boyfriends! Parties!” In the end she only could spread words full of emotion. If Ruby could she her now… no boyfriends, not as many parties as she wanted to go. She had responsibilities. She was still the boring bookworm that left Storybrooke.  
She sat behind the desk and took her art book to continue studying. Someone entered the library, making the bell ring and that sound awakened her dogs. Belle stood up as fast as she could to attend the new client, but when she saw who he was, she only could smile and open her mouth to say something, even she was so surprised she could say nothing.  
“Have you seen a Ghost?” Archie asked with a smile on his lips. Belle walked fast round the desk and jumped to hug Archie.  
“What are you doing here?” She said hugging him.  
“Well, a ‘friend’ had something to do here so… I took benefit of the situation.”  
Belle smiled at him not believing he was really there.  
“I’m so happy to see you. How is all going in Storybrooke? I mean…” And then Belle erased her smile. “Apart from the accident.”  
Archie took a deep breath. Storybrooke was a small town and every tragedy touched every person. The accident that took Bealfire and Zelena’s life was indeed one of the worst tragedies the town had suffered. Belle didn’t had a relationship with Bealfire, she had seen him two or three times because of her best friend, Ruby, was friend of Emma, but nothing more. However, she knew Zelena, she was one of the school’s divas, what meant that Belle was the objective of all her "jokes". She hated Zelena all her life.  
“We are all trying to move on.” Archie said.  
Belle took a hand through her hair; she didn’t want to talk about that. She left Storybrooke behind the moment she took that bus to Boston her first year of university. Even though she had there her father and her best friend, she wanted to see the world and live adventures.  
“Look, I end my duty in twenty minutes; we can go and walk the dogs together.”  
Archie nodded.  
“Okay, but I can’t go very far away because my ‘friend’ will pick me up here.” He was so uncomfortable calling Gabriel Gold as his friend. But saying he just traveled to Boston with one of his patients was even more odd.  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………  
So the auction went well. He had a very good shopping time. He loved when inheritors didn’t want to conserve what was left for them. And even more when was the furniture of a 1920 mansion. Paintings, desks, silverware, all well conserved. He had hired a truck to take it all to Storybrooke and his boyguard, Dove, will take it all to town.  
He drove to the same place he had left Dr. Hopper. Had hesomeone to see in Boston? That really sounded as a romantic meeting. How would she look like? Or he, Dr. Hopper hadn’t specified either one of both sexes. And why was he thinking about it? It wasn’t his business, but thinking of other things, occupying his mind, made him forget for a moment the death of his son. He parked in front of the ‘Paper universe bookstore and library”, lowered the window and took the packet of cigarettes from his pocket. He took a cigar between his fingers and looked at it. He used to smoke till Milah told him she was pregnant, he had 30 non-smoking years, and them Bae died. He no longer had the strength to resist temptation, he was no longer there, so what was the matter with reducing his life? He was about to light it when someone knocked the window. Gold raised his sight to see Dr. Hopper, good, time to go home. But it seemed the doctor wanted him to get out the car for some reason.  
With a sight, Gold kept the cigar in the box and got out of the car. Next to Dr. Hopper there was an adult Dalmatian, a dog he already knew as Pongo. But Gold thought he had escaped because he no longer saw the doctor with him.  
“Mr. Gold I’d like to introduce to you Miss Belle French.” Archie said.  
And then he saw her. A beautiful young girl with curly dark brown hair with red highlights, two big blue eyes stare at his. With a full teeth smile, her blushed cheeks cause of the wind and the walk they took with the dogs. Despite she was wearing heels; she was still shorter than him. In a blue, long sleeve skater dress. At her feet a bright brown cocker spaniel. He remembered her; she was in Bae’s funeral. But he didn’t remember as one of his son’s friends.  
By the time he wanted to speak he realized he had staring at her like it was the first time he saw a woman. If that was Hopper’s girlfriend…wow! Great job doctor! He really had good taste on women, something he could not say about her. What was she doing with such a man?  
He opened his mouth to say something but it was too late to react; thankfully Miss French took the lead.  
“Nice to meet you, Mr.Gold” she said offering her hand for a handshake.  
He changed the hand on his cane to complete that shake and a smile escaped his lips. Archie was about to jump of pure happiness, and surprise, but he held back with a curious look on Gold. What was that? Had he just smiled? And it wasn’t a polite forced smile, it was a sincere one. Gold coughed to hide his reaction.  
“ Nice to meet you too. But I think I’ve already seen you.”  
Belle nodded looking down to her feet, she attended his son’s funeral with her father, Maurice French, to pay respect.  
“Maybe,” He changed her expression with a light smile. “Your shop is near my father’s florist.”  
Gold pointed her with a finger, with such a shock on his face. And another pain was added to the one he was already suffering.  
“You are Colette’s daughter.”  
And that caught Belle, she wasn’t expecting to hear her mother’s name in that conversation. She looked between frightened and surprised to that man that seemed to know her mother. The memories of that day hit her brain. And she couldn’t avoid raising her hand to her own shoulder, there were she laid on the floor next to her mother and, for a moment, she felt the shoulder wet and sticky again. Archie looked at her and then to Gold, he had to cut that conversation.  
“Well is getting late.” The Doctor said.  
Gold didn’t knew why Archie did that, maybe he was annoyed with the conversation he was having with his girlfriend. Yes, it must be that. He didn’t know doctor Hopper was the kind of jealous. The girl nodded in silence and took Pongo’s leash.  
“I’ll see you in two weeks, no?” Archie talked to her while Gold got in the car again.  
She forced a smile and nodded again.  
So, that was an awkward couple good bye. But Gold had no right to step into that subject. He just limited himself to drive back to Storybrooke. Archie was sending him strange looks every two minutes and that made him felt uncomfortable. Maybe he was offended in some way.  
“I noticed how you looked at her.”  
He took a deep breath ready to answer; he didn’t want any problems with his therapist.  
“Well, she is a pretty girl indeed, but I would never…”  
“I’m not saying any of that.” Archie cut him. “But it’s the first time I saw you smile for someone in a very long time.” He smiled looking through the window. “I would like to say you are her type, but I don’t know if she has a ‘type’”  
Gold wrinkled his forehead at that. So Doctor Hopper wasn’t going out with that girl.  
“I’ve never saw her with anyone, as a couple.”  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..  
Belle slammed her apartment door when the dogs were inside. The tears falling from her eyes, her legs shaking. Lady and Pongo rubbing against her legs, wondering what was wrong with her. Sliding her back on the door, Belle sat on the floor and covered her face with her hands.


	2. Loneliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle goes to storybrooke to visit her father and relax from her stressful routine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I named Gold 'Gabriel' Because one author of the many versions of 'The beauty and the beast.' was the french Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve.

Belle awakened cuddled in the sofa covered with a thick blanket, Pongo and Lady sleeping. One behind her legs and the other next to her chest. She had had the worst two weeks of her life. With the exams and work she never felt so anxious to go to see her father. But finally was Friday! She had her suitcase prepared with all the necessary for that weekend, plus she had no class on Monday and her boss gave her the day off. So she had three days with her father.  
She sat on the sofa and immediately the dogs awakened. Lady raised her muzzle to touch her cheek. Belle smiled and caressed her. Pongo left the sofa and went to the kitchen to finish what he left of his dinner.  
“Pongo, you gluttonous” she called him while the dog’s butt disappeared through the kitchen door.  
Belle yawned and got up from the sofa; she stretched her arms upwards and stood on her toes. Lady did pretty much the same on the sofa with her paws on the blanket. She rubbed her face in a more sleepy way than she’ll never admit and looked at the TV. The screen was showing the static DVD logo. After days watching all house made videos of her mom coocking, her mom reading her a story, playing with her, her mom working in the old Storybrooke library… She loved that place, full of adventures, scary and love stories, places to visit. She always loved books, her mother influenced her well. But she wasn’t there anymore.  
Belle switched off the tv and walked to the kitchen. Her morning tea was all she needed to start a nice day. Lady run to Pongo moving her short tail wanting to play. But Pongo was eating his breakfast and didn’t want to play.  
“Lady, leave him alone” Belle warned while she prepared her tea. The cocker looked at her and barked with her shrill voice moving her butt anxiously. “Okay”  
Belle smiled at the attention call of her sweet dog, she kneeled down and caressed her ears. “You are the most beautiful girl in the world.” She said in a quite stupid voice, but it’s the voice we all use to talk to our pets. “Are you excited? We are going to Storybrooke!” At the sound of that word Pongo reacted and approached the girls moving his tail. “Yes, yes, I love you too.” Belle said caressing him as well.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
“Here are your flowers, Mr.Gold” said a nervous Maurice French leaning the flowers to him.  
It was the first time he was going to leave flowers at his son’s grave. For the past two months he just went there, stare at the grave and think, and cry. Why him? Zelena had an entire town full of victims why would she had chosen his son?  
“Thank you Mr. French.” He responded taking the flowers and walking to the door, but then he remembered something. Ah! Yes, Miss French was coming to town that weekend. He turned and made a false smile, but he was trying to get over the pain and anger. “Say hello to your daughter, she is a charming woman.”  
A charming woman? What was that? While Maurice looked at him with confusion, Gold approached to escape of an uncomfortable situation. Why did he have to say that? He got in his car with fast steps like he was driving away from a crime scene. And why on earth did he remember that Miss French was going to be in Storybrooke? Anyways he had things to do and first of all was seeing his son. Dr. Hopper said that stablishing a visit routine could help, also the thing of bringing flowers, because that would remind him that Bae was no longer there, but he would live forever in his heart.  
He left the town behind, heading to the cemetery, the buildings gradually disappeared and the trees and nature invaded both sides of the road. His hands squeezed on the wheel. It all looked so calm and even romantic, but it wasn’t like that, it was sad. He was going to visit his son’s grave! The moment he parked in front of the entrance he had to use all his strength to get out the car. The landscape of stone graves cut all his ridiculous fantasies of seeing Bae again, something he knew it wasn’t possible but totally real in his imagination. Gold closed the car and walked through the cemetery till he arrived to his son’s grave.  
Bealfire Gold, beloved son, husband and father.  
He left the soft pink roses on top of the stone and leaned both hands on his cane.  
“Here I am, son.” He talked to the grave. “Another week and yet I still limp.” A bitter smile appeared in his lips. “Doctor Hopper says is all in my head, because I didn’t need the cane those years after de surgery and you were here.” He blinked several times to hold the tears. “But I can’t Bae, I can’t walk without you, you are my cane.” The tears were already falling. “My boy, I miss you so much.” He sneezed and tried to clear his throat. “Henry is going back to school, he has to make up for these two months, but he’ll be fine and you know I will be there for him.”  
“No!” Someone shouted near the entrance of the cemetery.  
Gold looked that way but he was too far away, he could just do as he had heard nothing but, he found that voice a bit familiar. He placed a hand on the grave with a sweet and sad look.  
“I love you, my boy.” He whispered.  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
“No, no,no!” Belle continued shouting. She got out her car and went in front of it to lift the hood that was pouring smoke. The moment she touched the car she moved away with a groan. The hood was burning. Lady and Pongo were barking from inside the car. And that, with the early death of her car made her feel nervous. How was she going to arrive to her father’s house? And how was she going to return to Boston after the weekend?  
“Miss French?” A male voice sounded behind her.  
She turned around with such a rush that some tufts of hair went to her face. There she was, very different from the first time he saw her. Her eyes shining with desperation, her cheeks were bright pink. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans, flat low black boots and a woolen yellow sweater. What was she doing there? And what was that smoke?  
“Mr. Gold!” She recognized him and, well, how not to do it. “What…”  
“I came to visit my son.” he said with a glance of his head pointing the entering of the cemetery.  
She took a look to see where she was. She was indeed near the entrance of the cemetery, that road ended up in town there wasn’t another way to go.  
“Oh! Ehm, sorry.” She said a bit uncomfortable.  
He shook his head and placed both of his hands on the cane. So she was the one shouting, but why? He glanced; the smoke was coming from her car. Belle followed his sight, she turned to her car and with a deep breath she shoved her hands inside the back pockets of her jeans, a movement that did not go unnoticed for him.  
“My car decided to commit suicide without telling me.”  
He did a smirk looking at the two dogs inside the car. He never believed in destiny but finding her there, even though he knew she was going to be in town that weekend, meeting her half way from town and with her car definitely dead it seemed to be more than a coincidence.  
“Since your car is not taking you anywhere…” he began and Belle turned again to see him. “I can drive you”  
She opened her mouth to say a ‘no thank you’ but, who was she lying? She needed to arrive to her father’s house, at least at two o’clock.  
“You know I have two dogs.” She remembered him  
He glanced again to see them.  
“Yes and the cocker spaniel is biting your seat.”  
She turned fast while she yelled “Lady!” As he slightly laughed as she passed one of her hands through her face.  
“If you don’t mind…” She said with a glimpse of desperation. “And what am I going to do with my car? I can’t leave it here.”  
Lady started biting her seat again.  
“I consider more dangerous leaving that dog inside your car.”  
“Lady!” She yelled again and sighed. “She won’t do that to your car, I promise.”  
That light smirk reappeared in his lips and made a strange but warm titillation go down her back. What was that? Well, the important was that, even she got stuck in the middle of the road; Belle was going to arrive to her dad’s home safe and sound.  
“I’ll help you” Gold offered walking to the car.  
“Oh! I can do it myself.” She rushed because she didn’t want him to force his injured leg.  
But Gold had already arrived to the car trunk. He tried not to be offended by that. He had a limp, but not because of that was going to stop doing anything.  
“I’m perfectly capable of this, Miss French.”  
And then she was the one to feel bad because of what she had said. Belle decided not to say a word. He was doing more than anyone would have done for her. He was indeed a good man. Why people in town feared him? Maybe his occupation wasn’t the most respectable, but the man beneath all that there was kind. With Lady and Pongo in the back side on his car and also her suitcase, they headed off to town. The ride was so uncomfortable silent, with Gold driving, Belle looking through the window with nothing in her mind to talk about, Pongo and Lady with their heads in the gap between the seats. Belle had never been so pleased to recognize some of the streets. And finally his father’s florist.  
“Here we are.” He said stopping the car. “I’m afraid I don’t have a good relationship with your father, so we’ll have to move fast.”  
At first she thought he was just joking, that why she smiled when she directed her eyes to him, but when she saw him whit a serious look, that smile went out her lips. Her father never talked about him, for Belle, he was just the town lawyer and pawnbroker, she never listened what people called him. What was…? Oh! Right, ‘The town monster’. But she never wanted to call him that. She firmly believed that you have to know what is in a person’s heart to truly know him or her.  
“Really?” she asked with a fast look to the street, to verify her father wasn’t at the shop or anywhere near. “But…Why?”  
“Because of the same reason most people in town fears me or hates me.” He had no other way to answer that confused expression she gave him but with a smile. “But that’s another story.”  
Belle felt a bit relaxed with his smile. If he didn’t matter about what the people thought about him, she shouldn’t matter either.  
“I like stories.” She replied.  
“For another day.” He completed raising his eyebrows. It was weird but, he felt relaxed and free talking to that woman.  
“Okay” She sang with her charming voice.  
And for a moment they stared at each other’s eyes, his deep dark brown eyes, like never ending holes those hided deep secrets. Was it worth to be swayed by them? And her light blue eyes, like the color of the first level of sea water were the sunlight reflected. But he coughed and both broke the eyed contact.  
“I’ll help you with…”  
“No” she interrupted. “Thank you Gold, but you already done enough taking me home. And… I will search you for that ‘story’, be sure of that.”  
He smiled again and couldn’t erase it while Belle took her pets and her suitcase.  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
“Dad?” Belle called him when she entered the florist’s apartment above her father’s business. The dogs entered with such a joy, barking and searching for Moe. “Dad?” She called him again, but she wasn’t home.  
She left her suitcase in her bedroom. If her father wasn’t there and neither in the shop, maybe he went to collect a flower commission. She took her phone from her back pocket and called her best friend, at that hour Ruby might be in her free hour.  
“Thank you called!” Her best friend answered the call. Belle thought she had a quarrel with Granny, as mostly every day, but what she said after caught he by surprise. “I’m going to puke if I have to see for one more minute how your father and my grandma flirt.”  
What? Her dad…was flirting? She never saw him fliting with no other but her mother. And Belle was very happy to know that her dad had moved on. But she felt this light pressure on her chest and she was guilty for it. It was Granny, a strong and good woman, she should be happy. But he was still her father. So she and Ruby agreed to meet at an intermediate distance between the dinner and the florist with the dogs, so they could talk while walking.  
“Belle!” she run towards her and hugged her without paying attention to the dogs. “I really wanted to see you!”  
Belle laughed and corresponded to her best friend’s hug.  
“Me too!” she answered to her neck. Her friend was really tall, even when Belle was wearing high heels she barely reached her chin.  
Catching up with her best friend was her favorite sport. If that could be considered a sport, and it should be. They walked into the woods through the path along the beach to the north. Belle never had followed that path; well she had never had a dog, until two years ago. And ruby was like a free wolf, she loved nature and the woods.  
After talking very little about her dad and Granny, Ruby took her deep into the woods saying she wanted to show her something. And that something turned out to be a grate Victorian mansion from the early 1890's. Entirely wooden white with blue roofs. Despite the wood was old and worn was still very romantic. A glass dome protruding from the center of its main roof, two balconies on the second floor, an incredible spacious porch and a three floor tower on the right.  
“I knew you’d like it.” Ruby said watching her friend’s expression.  
“It’s … it’s beautiful, Ruby. Can we go in?” She asked euphorically, if the insides were as untouched as the outsides there could be authentic art treasures.  
“It’s closed, only the owner has the key.” Ruby said with a snort.  
Suddenly Belle’s happiness went down to her feet. The owner could be in any part of the world.  
“And sure the owner doesn’t live in town, no?” She assumed.  
“Oh! He does live in town. It’s the same man that possesses every property in town.”  
A brief flicker of light shined Belle’s hope. The man who had drove her to town when her car died in the middle of nowhere.  
“Gabriel Gold”


	3. Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Girls Night! Belle remembers something from her past.

“Girls night!” Ruby shouted enthusiastic when Belle opened the door.  
She smiled showing all her teeth and took a look at her friend. Ruby always dressed so perfectly. With tight leather leggings and a gorgeous red silk shirt, she was on her tallest black high heels and a grey fur coat. On the contrary, Belle was still wearing her bath robe, with her hair in a ponytail and shoeless.  
“Why are you still like that?” She asked while entered her best friend’s home.  
Belle sighted and closed the door behind Ruby. Easy for her to say when she had all those clothes, but Belle style was classier and doll like for day time, she couldn’t decide what to wear for a girls night.  
“Hi, Ruby.” Moe French greeted her going out the kitchen.  
“Hi, Moe” she replied with the confidence of a lifetime being his daughter’s best friend.  
“Where are you going tonight?” he tried to obtain any piece of information, just as when they were fifteen years old.  
Belle couldn’t avoid rolling her eyes. That was unfair, she hadn’t asked anything about his father’s new relationship with Granny, or even commented his sentimental situation, but he had to know everything about her night activities.  
“You know, just catching up, Ariel and Emma are coming too.” Ruby solved it with a gentle smile.  
“Ruby, help me get dressed.” Belle took her friend’s hand and headed to her bedroom.  
When they were alone in her bedroom, Ruby sat on the bed, it was just the same as it was before Belle left town, with all her books, dolls and girly things. A Girl room, not a woman’s, but maybe Moe was more comfortable with that.  
“Are you aware that, if Granny and your father are together that makes me your step sister?”  
Belle stood in front of her opened closet thinking about the word her friend just said.  
“Actually, because it’s your grandmother who is dating my dad and not your mother, you would be my step aunt.”  
Ruby remained quiet for a few seconds. It was a strange situation to think about, but it was real!  
“So, leaving this subject apart for the rest of the night.” She said shaking her head. “What are you going to wear?”  
Belle turned to her friend, she had no idea, all she had there was too old and she hadn’t take that type of clothes before leaving Storybrooke. She sat on her bed next to Ruby and sighted with her elbow on one knee and her chin on her hand.  
“I don’t know, nothing convinces me enough to wear it.”  
Now was Ruby who rolled her eyes, she got up and walk to the wardrobe. There sure was something belle could wear. Suddenly she remembered that, before she moved to Boston she took her shopping. She searched hanger by hanger trying to find something he could have left there. Belle was pretty girl and called the attention of men, but her friend seemed to have no interest in them since she moved to Boston. First, Ruby thought that was because she already had someone there, but the reason was Belle had no free time left with her studies and work. And she felt guilty in situations like that where Ruby was with her boyfriend, Ariel and Eric were together and Emma…well, the aim of that night was trying to take Emma out of her house and cope with her husband’s death.  
“Here!” Ruby triumphal took out a short slim strapped maroon dress. Belle looked at that mini dress, she remember buying it with the fantasy of knowing someone special one night. She had so many fantasies about her student life… Maybe Gaston would be pleased to know she hadn’t been with anyone after their broke up. Oh! Gaston! They were going to the Rabbit Hole, Sure he was there too, it was his favorite bar, and, well, one of the best ones in town.  
She looked up and down the dress, Belle wanted to feel sexy for one night. Free before she went back to Boston. With an almost naughty smile she raised from the bed and took the dress.  
Storybrooke at night was different, but not the kind of ‘good’ different. It was a complete desert, business closed and silence on every street except from the few restaurants by the beach and, of course, the Rabbit Hole. A place where you know when you go in, but not when you go out. Where a cop and a thief can share a drink on the same table. But for Belle, there was a more intense memory attached to it.  
It was a month before she moved to Boston and she and her still boyfriend, Gaston, were hanging out with their friends. Ruby, Ariel, Eric and Victor were there with them all knew that Belle was going to leave the town. Everyone but Gaston. Belle had told everyone she wanted to tell him. Through the past months, she thought her boyfriend had a very different vision of their future. He wanted to get married, have kids and stay in town. Only the idea of that future make Belle want to run very far away from there. Ruby made a gesture to her when her boyfriend had drunk two beers and was ready to hear the news.  
Belle grabbed his wrist and pulled him to a corner of the bar, far enough to talk without the music interfering the conversation. Her boyfriend followed her with a stupid smile on his lips; clearly he had no idea of what was going to happen.  
“wow” he said placing his free hand, because the other was holding a beer, on her waist. “Where are you taking me?”  
She had a well-organized speech in her mind and she was so prepared to let it go, but trying to keep Gaston focus was an added challenge.  
“No, Gaston.” She said moving away his hand. “We need to talk.”  
Gaston glanced with a raised eyebrow and a drunken smile.  
“Oh, that doesn’t sound good.”  
She took a deep breath and looked both sides before beginning her speech.  
“Listen, about our future, ahm… about what we are going to do…”  
He shock his head and placed a hand upon the wall behind her, living her no possible space to scape.  
“Look babe” Belle hated when he called her that, but he could not avoid it. “It’s going to be fine, I’ll find a job, and we’ll have a huge house…”  
“No, no,no, NO!” She reacted what made Gaston to take a step backwards. “I’m not going with you, anywhere.” Finally she let that out. “I’m going to university, in Boston. I want to get out of this town and see the world.”  
He blinked trying to stay focus and resist the effects of alcohol to really understand what his girlfriend was telling him.  
"But, babe, our plans.."  
She looked away feeling guilty for the hopes she might have given to Gaston. But, stay in town and just see how life passes by, wasn't in her plans.  
"But that is not 'our' plan, Gaston; is your plan and I want more, I want all this world can offer me."  
His face turned into rage every word she left out of her lips. His face red and his hand tighten the beer glass. Oh! Right he was drunk, maybe it wasn’t the best moment to talk about that.  
“Oh! I see, you really think you are going to live adventures like in one of your stupid books.” And that was the first time Belle heard Gaston putting a ‘stupid’ before the word ‘books’. “Nothing of that is going to happen to you.”  
She shocked her head and walked by his side.  
“I’m not talking to you like this, you are drunk”  
“Hey!” He shouted so the whole bar could hear him. “If you are braking up with me, do the brave thing and say it in my face!”  
Ruby walked to her friend with a worrying look and placed a hand on her back to walk away from that situation. Belle felt stupid; from the beginning she knew who was Gaston, the cool guy who could have any girl he wanted. The bright smiled guy on top of the status quo, but she felt there was more beneath that, well, maybe she was wrong. He never liked to be told what to do or what was best for him, for Gaston, everything he did or say was the truth and the correct thing to do. Maybe it wasn’t his plan to end up with an intelligent woman who could talk him back.  
“I need to get out” Belle told her friend.  
Ruby nodded and looked to the front door, but there were so many people who had heard Gaston.  
“The back door is there, on the left.” She signed with her head.  
Belle followed her gaze and with a simple “Thank you she walked through the door to the street.  
When the door closed she felt how her lungs relaxed, despite the tedious smell of the rubbish in the container next to her, that was what she needed. So thing were clear then with her boyfriend. Well, she might change that to ‘exboyfriend’. It was over, so why she couldn’t help to feel some kind of guilty? It was the best for her. She would not forgive herself ever if she dismissed that opportunity. So she took a deep breath prepared to go inside again but when her right foot moved her heel slipped and stuck in the grille of a drain. She placed her hands on the wall not to fell and her gace went on to her stuck shoe.  
Belle mentally swore on everything she could think about while she tried several times to pull the heel out, but it wasn’t worth it. It didn’t move an inch. So that was going to be the end of her night? Walking shoeless home?  
“Are you okay?” A manly voice sounded near her. Belle raised her head to find a strong young man, with curly short hair, brown eyes and a three day beard. His skin was a bit tanned, he wasn’t very tall, but he was taller than her. He was wearing cropped jeans, a pair of black converse, a white t-shirt and an opened checked red shirt on top of it.  
“I…I…” she said trying again to pull her heel out. She wasn’t scared, but that was the rabbit hole and all types of people went there. “I’m okay, thank you.”  
He looked at her worthless attempt and looked back to her. Without speaking a word he crouched and began unlacing her shoe.  
“I can help with this, my friend Ruby got stuck here last Friday.” He spoke and those words made Belle look him with curiosity. He knew Ruby, so he wasn’t going to harm her. “I’m Baelfire, by the way.”  
And then something clicked in her mind.  
“Oh! You are Emma’s husband.” She breathed calm.  
Bae smirked and let her foot out of the shoe.  
“Yes I am, and you are?”  
“Belle, Belle French.” she answered at the same time he pulled strongly and got her shoe out, with evident damage on the heel.  
“Sorry” He said. “But it’s the only way.”  
She shocked his head while she mentally said good bye to one of her favorite shoes. And she even took back her foot when Bealfire attempted to laced it again.  
“You don’t have to…”  
“You can’t walk in with only one shoe.” He joked while he glaced again the shoe around her ankle, and that made her smile, but she was so tired she had reconsidered to go back home.  
“Actually, I think I should go home, I’m tired and I need to finish packing things… could you…?”  
“Tell everyone you are leaving? Of course.” He smiled again.  
“Thank you Bealfire,and by the way, nice to meet you.”


	4. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle goes to visit Mr. Gold hoping to hear that story he promised her, but, instead, they discover something.

The sun entered through the window, but he was already awakened. The alarm had ringed few minutes ago but he was still sat beneath the blankets, looking to his legs. He felt so vulnerable, for years he had been the beast, the terror of the town, but now, without his son he only felt emptiness. He never cared about what people said, he had all he wanted, power, properties, money and he cherished the most, the love of his son. A little smile appeared in his lips when he remembered little Bae exploring every room in that house, the house they moved on when they arrived to Storybrooke, the same where he was still living. But that memory tempted him to think about Milah, and that was something buried and forgotten, no more pain caused by that woman. He shocked his head and rubbed a hand through his hair, time to get up and do something profitable. 

While he was drinking his coffee all dressed up and ready to go to work, he walked to the garden window, he remembered how Bae used to play there. A grey ball of fur passed his field of view. Gold left out a grunt and placed the cup on the kitchen bench. That dog again. He went out to the garden as fast as his leg let him.

“Hey!” He shouted to the dog that was rolling on the grass. That street rat had a special interest in his yard, every morning there he was. “Get out!”

The dog stopped his daily routine and stared at him with a confused look, his head half bent and his tongue out. Gabriel had the foolish theory that, that dog did that to piss him intentionally. But that was such nonsense that the dog could not have that thinking in his street rat brain.

Gabriel walked towards him and the dog pose changed with his front paws firmly oblique to the ground, his butt up and moving from side to side anxiously.  
“I’m not going to play with you.” He said. “Get out.”

But the street dog had other plans, he began running in wide circles around him.  
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
Belle woke up in her bed with a slight headache a brief reminder of last night’s party. Ruby, Ariel, Emma and her went to the Rabbit Hole. The ‘Operation mole’ had mostly succeeded. Getting Emma out for one night really cheered her up, not as much as she was before the accident, but, at least they were able not to talk about the subject for the whole night, they had a few drinks, laughed, danced. That last one was a bit difficult to get Emma into, but she made it for a couple songs. Belle didn’t know what to say, it wasn’t only because on Emma’s situation, but also for hers. Since she moved to Boston, she felt a bit out of wave. Thinks were going on in Storybrooke and so was her life. The only thing she could talk about was her studies, or her work, or… Mr. Gold, but knowing his daughter in law was sitting at the same table, it wasn’t a good idea.

Her bedroom door opened and Lady and Pongo stood up on the bed from there they were sleeping. Her father’s face from an ear to ear smiled appeared.  
“Good morning princess.” He greeted, and she would be so pissed if she wasn’t already awakened. But it was Sunday, the best day for Maurice French, with the florist closed he had all the day for he, or for his darling Belle, or maybe his new girlfriend, Granny.

Both dogs went off the bed and Belle sat on it. She needed an aspirin and her warm morning tea. Her dad caressed the dogs when they approached him.  
“Come on Belle! Get out of bed!” her dad said walking toward the kitchen. “We have things to do today.”

Oh! Right. Her new car. They had to buy another second handed car for her, she wish she had the money for her own car. But her incomes from the library only covered the expenses of living in Boston, and even some months she had to take money from her scholarship to pay bills. She needed another job, but when? And where? 

She finally got up and walked to the kitchen where her tea was already prepared. She gazed her dad; that was so unusual. Definitely, he was happier than she had ever seen him in ages. Well, maybe she was magnifying it. But in fact he was happy, smiling and… humming? Anyway, she was the one who didn’t want to talk, so many thoughts were running her mind, so many possible ideas.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
No day offs for the town owner/pawn broker/lawyer/Antique collector. He used to, when Bae was alive, he used to close the shop on Sundays and spend the day with his son and grandson, but know he had no excuse to open the business. After a long morning of doing inventory, longer that he expected, he began examining the new furniture he bought in Boston. A couple china jars a bit more valuable than the owners thought when they sold them and, the best of all, his new treasure, a 1920’s writing desk.

He was just about to put his hands on that beautiful piece of furniture, when the front door’s bell jingled. Even on Sundays villagers had the courage to enter his shop. Well, he maybe had to congratulate the one who made such thing.  
“Mr.Gold?” a sweet voice called him and suddenly all his body guarded up. With a deep breath he took his cane and walked to the glass expositor that worked as counted desk, knowing who was there waiting for him and what she maybe wanted from him. But why had she returned? She knew his fame, hated and feared from most of the villagers. Maybe was that story he promised her… Oh, hell! That story; he blamed himself and his tongue. Why had he told her that?

“Oh! Miss French, what a surprise.” He leaned both hands on the cane.

She adjusted her purse on her elbow and slightly glanced her head as she felt guilty for being there.

“Well I told you I wanted to hear that story.”

He slowly felt his blood running slower and slower through his veins, so, she came for that. He was in trouble. For a moment he could see Mr. French entering his shop looking furious and with an axe on his hands.

He looked everywhere, trying to redirect the conversation, to make an excuse, but that was too obvious. Anyway, he had to try.

“Miss French, I’m afraid It’s not story time, I’ve work to do.” And he thought that was enough. Poor soul, he didn’t know who he was dealing with. 

“Work? On Sunday?” She asked taking a step forward. She crossed her arms on her chest and looked around, that man had a wide collection of antiques, some very rare to find and unique.

He was just about to turn and continue with what he was doing when she spoke. Her sparkling light blue eyes roaming the shop as she was scanning every item hung on the wall. She was indeed an attractive woman, but that was just an opinion.

“Yes, Sunday is the busiest day of the week.” He answered but she was still admiring the objects of the shop. “What are you looking at?” 

Belle reacted with a tiny jump and smiled back at him a bit embarrassed.

“Well you have a good collection here.” She approached the glass expositor on the left, where a monkey with cymbals was sitting on a wood box.

He watched every movement she made, she was like a child surrounded by toys, wanting to put her hands on all of them.

“This is not my collection; these are just trinkets I want to get rid of. That’s why I put them on sale.” He talked as she took the monkey and twirled the golden pin in the monkey’s back. The toy started to clap the cymbals with that sinister smile, but it seemed funny for her, as she left out a giggle. 

His lips drawn a light smile, she seemed comfortable, there, where no one wanted to be. That expression of her reminded him of Bae. Every day after school when he entered the shop and hugged him, when he used to play with all his hands could reach. He only left that memory when the woman was about to pick the wood box.

“Miss French!” he called her to take her attention, and it worked. “I assume you have some knowledge about antiques.”

In some way, Belle felt offended. Some knowledge? Please, she was studying history of art; she had much more than that. But clearly, Mr. Gold didn’t know any of that, so, she thought that it might be fun to play the amateur-antique-girl thing. She raised her elbows with an innocent smile. 

“I like antiques.”

He smiled with relief, maybe he could distract her. 

“I have something you might like to see, a writing desk I bought in my trip to Boston.”

Both walked to the back shop where the dark wood writing desk, with golden leaves decorating it. From the moment she saw it, Belle thought she was having a hallucination. She had read about it but she never thought she had the opportunity to see one with her own eyes. Gold felt victorious seeing her open mouthed. 

“It’s a 1920 writing desk” He boasted about his knowledge.

Belle giggled again and approached the desk for a greater view.

“So, what do you think?” he asked a bit confused because of her laugh. 

“Well…” she took a moment trying to find the best words. “I think that the one who gave it to you didn’t know what was selling.”

“What?” He asked confused while she passed her hand through the desk till stopped at the left corner. “Why you say that?”

Belle turned at him with a raised eyebrow. It would be very fun to continue playing that naive-girl game, but that was the chance for her to be the smart one, the professor, and he would be the student.  
“This is a ’Gepetto’ desk, you see the ‘G’ engraved here?” she pointed the letter with a finger, inviting him to get closer. “And also the gold leaves, hand painted, of course. Gepetto was an Italian watchmaker, he did very few furniture, and the technique used to paint these little details suggests an incredible patience and training on doing such things, like painting watches, for example.” He looked at her impressed, eyes wide opened. She was probably the most intelligent woman he’d known in that town. She was so focused on what she was saying, and delicate, touching the desk as it was the most valuable thing she’d seen in her entire life. She was professional, a very good one. And for a moment, Gold thought of having her there, helping him. He was good, but Belle, wow, she was another level. “I could say, without any doubt, this piece of art, because indeed it is art, dates from 1880.”

Those last words made him glance from Belle to the desk. Unique furniture made by a famous Italian watchmaker? If it wasn’t for her he might have sell it for less than half of its value.

“So…” He started after a few seconds of sock, if he had been a cartoon, his eyes would show the dollar symbol. 

“So, if I were you, I would take this home and preserve it” She ended.

Gold raised his eyes towards her.

“You really know about this.”

“Yes I do.” She confirmed while passing her fingers under the table and through its sides. Then she kneeled and looked under. "I study history of art and literature"

“And what are you doing now?” He asked totally curious about what she had to say. He glanced to her position, both hands still on his cane, trying to reach what she was looking for.

“This type of desk used to have a hiding drawer, somewhere to hide things, it usually enabled with some sort of spring, lever or pressure mechanism.” She talked, not like a hotshot, or an arrogant geek, she was just explaining; he liked that. That sound of patience and dedication on her voice.Belle got up and walked behind the desk to continue searching with her hands under the table. When her eyes opened to their limit and sparkled, gold knew she had found it. 

“It’s a spring” She said. “You’d better get out of there.” 

Gold stepped away obediently. “What used people to hide in there?”

“Ehm…” Belle felt the spring with her fingertips. “books, bills, wills, guns… or even nothing, some of the owners didn’t know it was such a thing in their furniture.”

Finally she pressed the spring and the low table top fell to the floor raising a cloud of dust. Both of them kneeled on the floor and waved their hands to dissipate it. A book, there was a dusty, tousled book. Gold and Belle looked at each other, he impressed about what she had found, and she starving for taking it from the floor. But it was still his desk.

“May I?” She asked already offering her hands.

He looked from the dusty book to her and back, then he nodded. 

Belle took the book as delicate as she could. She caressed the top searching a tittle, but there was nothing. Then slowly, she opened and found pages and pages written by hand.

“It’s a diary.” She said full of emotion. But for him it wasn’t such a treasure, a diary from who knows who, wasn’t a thing to sale. He looked at how she treated every page, how she looked as she read. That wasn’t going to cause interest on anyone, except her.

“You can take it, if you want.” He offered.

Belle raised her eyes from the pages to look at him.

“Really?” she asked pressing the diary upon her chest. “But… The desk is yours.”

“I can’t sell something like that.” He answered while he got up, he had to end that conversation. He felt there were coming some words of gratitude ‘too cloying’ for him.

“But maybe this could be considered as an invasion of privacy.”

He took a deep breath and started cleaning his working desk, just to give the impression of being occupied. 

“The person who wrote that must be dead, take this as an investigation of that life, that will be like keeping him or her alive”

Belle got up as well and took a step towards him, with a full teeth smile.

“Thank you Mr. Gold.”

He turned his head to look at her over his own elbow.

“Now go and start your adventure, don’t loose your time here.”


	5. Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle continues her life in boston. We get to know one of her Friends: Lumière.  
> Gold asks her to work with him.

So, apart from the clothes she came with, her father also wanted her to take two thick blankets, the coat for extreme cold days and numerous lunch boxes overfilled with house made meals. Belle sat on her bed and passed both hands through her hair. Then rested her chin on one hand and shocked her head seeing all she had to place in her new car, all also counting on her two dogs.  
Her dad was exaggerating, but inside his overprotective dad-mind her baby girl was living in the worst conditions, alone and over occupied with no time to cook for herself or take care of her health. Fortunately, her new car was a bit bigger than her old one. Her eyes glanced to the dusty brown leader diary she hadn’t had the courage to open. It was too intimate, there was someone’s life written word by word, from its mind to the paper. For others, these would be the most ridiculous thoughts but meant too much for her. ‘That will be like keeping him or her alive’ Mr. Gold had said. A brief smile showed in her lips, she stood up and packed the diary among her other things.

“Lady! Pongo!” She yelled while she closed the trunk. The first to appear was the Dalmatian moving his tail anxiously. Belle opened one of the back doors and the dog jumped in, then the cocker Spaniel came running with her shorter legs and her fluffy ears jumping with every step she took.  
Once everything was settled and she was ready to go, Belle took a few seconds to breathe deeply and look around. Her dad’s home was the apartment above the florist, in Main Street. Just a pavement away from the library, her mother’s business. She had so many memories from those days; she had grown up in that library helping her mother to organize the old books, coordinating events for children and amateur writers, reading, hiding in under the clock tower stairs; that was her safe place. Every afternoon, she went there and her mother would make tea for two.

Belle would do anything to spend one more day with her mother, just one more day to hear her voice, to hug her and feel her warmth. Colette French died too early, Belle missed her so much and especially in some crucial moments of her life. Her first period, her first kiss, the day she started to use a bra, the day she encourage to applicate for university, the day she finally moved to Boston… And even then, when she was grown enough to understand why things happened, she continued asking herself why her mother.  
When she realized she had stood there too long, a tear was sliding on her cheek, with a fast move she removed it and got in the car, time to go back to real live and pursue her dream. Speaking of which, every day she woke up with a different view or motivation for her future. Sometimes she wanted to be a writer and she was really good at it, but other days she wanted to be an art assessor, or coordinate exhibitions in any museum or even reopen the old library. All professions would make her happy but she wasn’t able to pick just one path. That was a problem for the future Belle.  
She loved living in Boston, to start from the beginning in a new city and be the only responsible of her life, that was, in a certain way, a great adventure. On the other hand, there were bills that needed to get paid, she needed to buy food, buy new clothes when needed and for that she needed money and her part-time job wasn’t enough. But she had no more hours left.

It was Tuesday evening in the last hour of her duty when light shined on her. Lumière, a French acting professor was in the kid’s area wearing a pirate costume with a hook in one hand and a toy parrot on his shoulder. She absolutely loved him, he was great with kids and the costumes he wore were amazing. Every Tuesday he’d come all dressed up and read two or three stories. He was an adventurer just like her, he had a dream and, well, he half reached. But he never gave up, after his show; he would stay until Belle ended her duty and go together for a coffee, tea or a beer. There was nothing romantic between them, it was more the friendship and the empathy.  
Belle crossed her arms on her chest and leaned a shoulder upon a bookshelf admiring his pirate voice and how she approached the kids every time the pirate in the story said something, with the hook on his left hand and a forced and exaggerated side smile. It was impossible not to smile at that. 

The bell above the door jingled and that attracted her attention. But from all the people she cloud imagine, she didn’t expect Mr. Gabriel Gold. Not knowing why, Belle hid behind the bookcase. What was she doing? She wasn’t afraid of him, but he knew so much of her life and family that was a bit scary. Slowly she glanced to lean out the enough percentage of her face to watch him. He looked uncomfortable, in his black Armani suit, shirt also black with a tie pocket handkerchief red; he was moving nervously the golden hanger of his cane. 

“Oh! Who are we spying?” a voice suddenly sounded from her back.

She made a little jump scared for the intrusion and gave him a soft slam on his arm.

“Lumière! I hate when you do that.” She whispered.

He showed both of his hand as a proof of guilt.

“Sorry” he whispered as well with his romantic and hypnotic french accent.

Lumiére copied Belle’s position to see what her eyes were pointing at.

“I guess he’s too old to be one of your exes.” He deduced.

She looked at him for a moment, confused how those words made her feel a bit sad.

“Of course he’s not.” She answered.

Lumière looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a half smile.

“You delayed the answer.”

Belle turned to face him as fast as she could.

“I did not”

For a couple seconds they made eye contact. Belle knew that strategy; he did it every time he wanted to know the truth about something. But there was nothing to let out, that was pointless, in that situation. And then he smirked.

“What?” She whispered again.

“Nothing” he answered. “Just the beginning”

She rolled her eyes without thinking too much about that and she glanced again to see Mr. Gold. He was now talking with the library owner who was behind the counter.

“You know, if he is looking for you, you should go and talk to him.” Said her french version of Jiminy the cricket. “And he is sexy.”

Belle left out the air in her lungs and smiled, she couldn’t avoid it.

“What? You women can say other women are sexy, but if it is said between men it’s a gay thing.” He complained.

“You know I don’t think like that!” she complained.

“Go there and talk to him!” he said at the same time he pushed her, hard enough to get her out of the hiding place.

“Oh! There she is, Belle!” Her boss called her.

She quickly looked at Lumière before heading to the counter desk. Belle tried to look surprised by the presence of Mr. Gold. He looked directly at her; he seemed so uncomfortable being there but, why? And why was he in Boston that day?

“This gentleman was looking for you.” Said Mrs. Potts. “Do you know him?”

Belle made a soft innocent and a bit nervous smile looking towards the man who was called ‘the beast’ ‘monster’ even ‘Rumplestiltskin’ in her town.

“Yes” She answered. “He is a friend from Storybrooke. Ehm… do you mind if I go early today?”

Her boss smiled and nodded silent. Belle went behind the counter and waked Pongo and Lady. She didn’t know what he was doing there but sure he needed to go out the library. Maybe it was being surrounded be people. What Belle always knew from him was that, Mr. Gold was a lonely person, he only show his vulnerable side with his son, Bealfire.

“I’m ready, let’s go.” She said.

He nodded and together walked outside. Belle noticed he smelled like aftershave, spicy masculine fragrance and cigarettes. She didn’t know he smoked and sure Archie didn’t know about it, because he used to say that smoking was, in a therapeutic way, a scape road for rage and desperation. As they walked, the dogs approached the situation to do their necessities what included some stops in their way. But after a couple minutes, that silence was more stupid than unnecessary. Someone should start the conversation.

“Well…” She said.

“Miss French.” He talked. 

And both faced each other.

“Sorry, you first.” She said.

They had stopped walking and that made the dogs approach them. Lady sat next to her mommy and Pongo just stood looking at Mr. Gold as he was prepared to defend her from any harm.

“Well, last time we saw each other you made a great impression of your art skills.” Her started again. “And I’m interested in getting an assessor.”

She glanced her head and frowned her forehead.

“Mr.Gold, have you come to Boston to offer me a job?”

He passed a hand through his face and looked away.

“I have my own businesses here, Miss French” he answered as cold as always. But that was his way to protect himself. “The job will be for the weekends, at my shop and some auctions, mails, exhibitions…whatever is necessary.”

Belle opened her mouth in a capital O, those were good conditions and it would not interfere in her class ours or her library job hours.

“You don’t need to give me the answer right know.” He rushed. “I’m staying until tomorrow.”

She closed her mouth and nodded, she didn’t know what to say.


	6. Memories and secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle and Gabriel meet in a coffee shop. Memories come out. One of Gabriel's secrets is endanger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit short but next chapter will be more intense.

 

The steamy cup of tea wasn’t the center of her attention that morning. Dancing between her fingers was Mr. Gold’s card with his phone number and his shop logo. How ironic, just when her earnings had almost run off that man appeared in her life and offered her a job. She remembered, again, the conditions Mr. Gold gave her. He was incredibly comprehensive with her class ours and her first job in the library. Anyone in her situation would say yes, but there was something more. Lady barked, sat by her side on the kitchen’s floor.

“I know, Lady, but it isn’t that easy.” She answered the cocker. Pongo jumped and leaned his front paws on the bench. He smelled the card between Belle’s fingers. Belle looked at him a bit surprised; Pongo didn’t like Gold, he always got nervous and angry when he was around. “I thought you didn’t like him.” He spoke to the Dalmatian. The dog raised his eyes to her, Pongo was the realistic and mature, Lady was more enthusiastic and free, but sophisticated. No vestiges left from her days of street dog. Belle fell in love with the cocker at first sight, when she saw her moaning between refuse containers with a harmed paw. Belle took a deep breath and pick up her mobile from the bench. “Okay, I’m calling him.” She decided, but when she was about to type his phone number, her thumb froze. “But… Maybe he is working or sleeping…” Pongo barked as a protest, she was making an excuse not to call him. “okay!” she blamed and finally typed de number.

First tone… second tone… third tone….

“I still think this is not a good idea.” She talked to Pongo.

“What isn’t a good idea?” Mr. Gold’s voice sounded from the other side of the phone. Belle shut her mouth with one hand and turn around to lean her waist on the bench he heard her, when did he pick the call? “Miss French?” His voice sounded again.

“ehm…hi” she blamed herself the instant she heard how weak and pathetic her voice sounded. “I...I just… I was talking to my dog.” Great, that sounded even worse. Now she was a crazy dog lady, talking to her pets as they were real people and they could understand her. Well in Belle’s mind it was like that, but somehow it wasn’t quite peculiar to ‘normal people’. Silence invaded the situation. Belle couldn’t feel more embarrassed; he heard her talking to her dogs. Her eyes approached her two flat mates, that was how she liked to consider them, both were sitting on their butts straight looking at her, lady moving her body in that shaky dance so characteristic of her.

“Have you considered my offer?” his voice finally sounded. Maybe was him the one reconsidering it. And that wouldn’t be new to her. Belle had always been the nerdy girl, with a dreamy far off look always imagining and with her nose stuck in a book. Her attempts to be brave, fair and kind always backfired somehow. She was the odd girl, enthusiastic about knowledge and adventures. Along her school and high school years she was treated as the poor girl who dreamed to escape from reality, the poor girl who saw her mother die. Until her senior year, when things totally changed and suddenly everyone wanted her help with studies and tests. She felt used by those who only wanted her for their own proposes, but, what cheered her was that she also had true friends who cared about her, few people but precious as treasures. “Yes.” She sounded more concerned and decided. “And I would like to talk about that, kind of a ‘business meeting’.”

“Indeed.” He answered. “I’ll let you decide the place and time, Miss French. But it has to be today.”

Even though she knew that was the original deal, Belle felt a bit uncomfortable. It was for sure he was controlling the conversation, authorities suit him, but for her, a free-spirit minded person, she couldn’t help to feel overwhelmed. Belle took a deep breath and reminded herself she needed the job. Then walked to the fridge and looked her class schedule hung there.

“Well… today I have only too lessons. How about 3pm? There’s a lovely coffee shop near my university, it’s called Clocksworht's you’ll find it easily. It’s quite a popular place.” Silence felt again, but this time Belle was sure it was because he was writing the direction. In truth, she didn’t want to speak only about the conditions; she needed to tell him she did know his son. It was only one night and for a few minutes, but she felt the necessity to tell him. Maybe she should call Archie before entering that subject, on the other hand, if his therapist friend tells her not to do it, she wouldn’t be able to work with him, or even look at him. Was it more selfish than kind? Maybe, but she needed to.

“It is settled, Miss French. Until then.”

She nodded without realizing, for a moment, that he couldn’t she her gestures. “Yes.”

Opening to people and starting new relationship was the star of his recuperation, as Dr. Hopper told him. Though it was not going to be easy or an accelerated process, it was something to be done little by little. Belle was the correct person to start with; even he didn’t know her that much he had that feeling or instinct telling him his actions were right. And also, there was the fact that she remembered him of Colette a woman who he had the privilege to know. He parked his black 1980 Cadillac near the coffee shop, from where he was, he could see part of the campus. A huge green field extended until tree grey buildings. Elms and pines gave the field a romantic and relaxed atmosphere. Students were sat in groups under the trees studying and chatting, or playing any sport just to pass the time between lessons.

It was nearly 2:45pm, early for his appointment but he liked to be every time he had one. With half of his weight leaned on the cane, Gabriel Gold walked along the street till he reached a garnet and yellow sign of the coffee shop. While he walked to approach the coffee shop he recognized his new assistance in the terrace, lying relaxed on a chair, a steamy cup of tea on the table and a dusty and eroded book. The diary, the one they found inside the writing desk. Her eyes stock in the page devouring every word. Gabriel coughed when he reached his new assistant. She was so focused on her reading, for a moment, he thought that noise wouldn't make effect. But the blue eyed girl raised her gaze to see him. A slight smile was drawn in her face and closed the dusty diary with both hands.

"Mr. Gold" she greeted and made the attempt to stand up, but Gold made a gesture with his hand to stop her. He pulled a chair and sat, leaned the handle of his cane upon the table. Belle leaned the diary on it and surrounded the cup of tea with both hands.

"So what you want to discuss?" He asked raising a hand to call a waiter. Belle shrugged her shoulders and looked away while she spoke.

"Well it's… it is more a confession than something to be discussed" He turned his gaze to her when he confirmed a waiter saw his call.

Her words made him frown his forehead. That had no sense to him. But how her eyes went to his with that light of regret and preoccupation made him wonder in all the possibilities. For a moment, he felt how blood left his brain; maybe he went pale at that exact moment. He thought of the worst. She knew. She knew about Colette and him.

“I knew your son, Baelfire.” She pronounced every word concerned about what could cause on him. Gold looked at her and little by little his blood ran again in a normal rhythm. It wasn’t the first time he heard that. Since the funeral, several people came to him for paying respect and telling him their beautiful stories. How good Bae was. In a matter of seconds, his emotional armor was up again, prepared to hear whatever she had to say and comfort her. As he did with all the people who came to see him with the same purpose. “I would like to say he was one of my best friends, but the truth is that y barely knew him” she started swinging her gaze to the cup of tea, to him and back to the cup. And the she smiled. “He found me crying one night with a heel stuck in a grille drain.”

He raised an eyebrow, that story was different from what he was used to hear.

“Well, he helped me, even though he didn’t know me. And he covered my escape.” She took a deep breath. “It was a hard night.” She looked at him again. “I know it is not a great story, but I needed to let it out before accepting the job.” Gold looked at her, their eyes met, her lighting blue eyes and his coffee eyes. It was the least emotional story he’d heard about his son, but she remembered it.

She had only met his son once, for a few minutes and she remembered him. And also she was been sincere with him. Yes, he had chosen the right person to open up himself again.

“Thank you, Miss French.” He answered. “I really appreciate it.”

And finally the waiter came, nothing to blame, the coffee shop was complete and very few staff to attend everyone. Gabriel ordered a cup of dark coffee and when the waiter was gone he looked at the dusty book on the table and pointed at it with one finger. He was desperate to change the subject of the conversation.

“I see you finally started reading it.” He spoke. Belle followed with his eyes the path of his finger. She smiled a bit guilty and placed a hand on the diary.

“Yes. At first I didn’t want to, it’s something very personal.” She started. “But then I remembered what you told me, keeping her story alive.”

“Her?” he asked to his surprise, too curious about that subject. The waiter came with his coffee and Belle waited till they were alone again to respond. “Yes.” She whispered with excitement and passed the diary to him.

“Her name was Elizabeth Layla Evans.” He sipped slowly first and then, took carefully the book, opened it and faced the stylistic stretched calligraphy. A beautiful view of the words perfectly aligned.

“How much can you tell me about her?” he asked passing the pages very carefully. She glanced with both hands leaned on the edge of the table.

“Everything.” She said with even more excited. Gold raised his eyes from the paper to see her.

“You already read it?” She smiled a bit embarrassed and left out a low giggle.

“Twice.” He raised his eyebrows, closed the diary and twisted it between his hands. It was a pretty thick book and not to mention the calligraphy issue. It isn’t the same reading a hand write text that a computer text, the second one it’s usually more comfortable. “It’s a very painful and sad story about impossible love and fighting fate.” She continued talking. “The end is heart breaking.”

Without handling his curiosity, Gabriel turned the book and opened it to see the last page. There was only a phrase written.

_From now on I shall be known as Elizabeth Layla de Villeneuve._

 

No, not that name.


	7. Buried Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Gold goes back to storybrooke he remembers about the last time he talked to Colette

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short but strong

 

“The most incredible thing is that, this diary has travelled inside the writing desk for years!” She had said. “When its owner was born and raised in Storybrooke. Isn’t it amazing?”

Indeed it was. How high was the possibility of that happening? The image of that dusty diary and crazy hypothetical thought ran his mind. A dangerous activity while he was driving back to town. But he still couldn’t believe what happened. Finally, a Villeneuve found Belle, in the most mysterious way but it had happened.

He apologized; he mentally apologized again and again. Colette might be turning in her grave. For the first time in decades he had broken a deal. He wished his contracts had the same term as marriage: _Till death do they apart_. But some deals were made to last for a lifetime.

_Twelve years ago_

_The front door bell rang. A bit late for shopping in an antiques shop. His reputation of lethal and successful lawyer had spread through the town like wildfire and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He was back to the glass counter cleaning sterling silver cutlery he had received that morning._

_“I’m sorry the shop is closed” he said without even turning to face the person that had just entered the shop._

_Even with his warning, the costumer walked to the counter marking each step with the light ‘clacks’ of a pair of heels. A sound that denoted that was a person accustomed to that type of shoes._

_“I know, but I need your help, Gabriel.” A feminine voice sounded behind him._

_The moment he heard that voice that sounded so familiar, he turned on his heels and smiled when he saw the only person in town who didn’t feared him. His reputation had spread so quickly that he hadn’t even the opportunity to try to fit in. In addition to the fact that he had bought each of the establishments and buildings that formed that little town.  And what was the matter? When he got interested in Storybrooke, the provincial town was bankrupt, in any case, those villagers should thank him. The only person richer than him was determined to renounce her inheritance._

_“Colette!” he greeted her and left the spoon between his hands on the counter and surrounded the desk to reach her. “What’s wrong? Have you talked to your husband?”_

_She crossed her arms on her chest and rubbed her arms with both hands as she nodded in silence. He could see the anguish in her eyes. It was certainly a difficult issue to deal with but, nevertheless, it was her decision. She had the final word in it._

_“Maurice doesn’t quite agree with this, he is worried about the future. Especially about our daughter.”_

_Gabriel nodded in silence and rubbed his neck with a hand. Normally he didn’t use to get involved in his deals. But with Colette was impossible not to. He had learned to be kind and emotionally accessible only to those who were so with him._

_“I assume that your husband is not coming tomorrow to our appointment with the notary.”_

_She shocked her head again._

_“You said you need my help.” He put one of his hands on her shoulder. “Colette if there’s anything I can do for you, just say it.”_

_The woman took a deep breath and looked at him like she was convincing herself that she was prepared for what she had to say._

_“I want to buy the florist and my house.” Colette said. “But I don’t want Moe to know.”_

_Clearly, he wasn’t prepared for that. How was her husband going to be excluded from that when he was the one who paid religiously the rent every month? He understood that his friend wanted to live in her own house completely paid, and contrary that he would say to any other habitant of that town, he was more than willing to make an exception with her. He wouldn’t be disturbed not to be the only owner in town if the other one was her._

_“And how you plan to do that?” he asked curious of what could be flying inside his clever bookish friend._

_“Well, the properties will be mine and you will still collecting our rent, but that money will go to an account for the future.” She explained._

_That was a great idea, indeed. But still dangerous, if Moe came to find out, his head would roll on the floor. Since the parents of Colette passed away, she had regretted to receive her heritage. It was crazy, the first time he saw someone regret that huge amount of money and not to mention de properties. Without doubt she had one of the worst relationships with her parents that he had ever seen._

_“The rest still the same.” She passed a man through her hair. “You can take the house, pay the debts with the money they left and the rest put it in the same account I’ll use to pay a better future for my daughter.”_

Colette French his very best friend, the only one who saw the man behind the monster, who took care of Bae while he had to work or to recollect the rent. Colette convinced the school’s headmaster to accept Bae three months after the school year started. For once in a very long time he had a friend, a true friend.

_“I love Maurice and I love my little Belle, and I want the best for both of them.”_

If only he knew then what happened a month later, he would have done something to prevent it, if only he had gone to the florist that day, Colette wouldn’t be dead.

 


	8. Lying by omission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel is a man who never breaks a deal.

_The red, blue and yellow crayon where on the desk. She was tired of drawing and although her head was hurting she tried reading one of her favorite books; she knew every word printed on the pages. Fortunately and thanks to the syrup the coughs had stopped. But the congestion and the fever where still there. Cuddled up in a blanket and lied down on the sofa in the back store of her father’s florist.  But, that day, her father wasn’t there, he had gone to collet some strange flowers for the shop. That was all she knew, the fact was that her dad was out of town, she was fighting against an annoying flew and her mom had to take care of the florist that day.  And this was because the florist made more income than the library._

_In truth, Belle was a bit disappointed. She liked more the library that the florist. In the library she had a secret corner where she used to sit down with a blanket, reading one or two books, and Oreos. It was extremely prohibited to eat or drink anything in the library but her mother let her eat from time to time and she also used to make tea every evening._

_The curtain that divided the shop from the back store moved and her mother came in, with a steamy cup between her hands and comprehensive smile on her lips. Belle returned that smile to her and closed the book. Colette French approached the sofa and sat by her child._

_“How are you feeling princess?”_

_Ten year old belle nodded while she took the steamy cup of rooibos tea between her hands and sat on the sofa. Her mom placed her lips on her forehead to measure her temperature. Then she kissed her girl’s forehead and caressed her chocolate curls._

_“You’re better now, maybe, we could go to Granny’s for lunch. What do you think?”_

_“Yes, please mom.” She said with an enormous smile. “I’m tired of being here and I’m perfectly okay, I promise.”_

_Colette left out giggle and caressed her daughter’s back, she knew how Belle truly hated to be sick but, there was nothing she could do. If she could erase the congestion and the cough and the fever she would. Then suddenly the front door’s bell jingled. Colette looked to the curtain that divided both rooms and sighted._

_“Okay, go.” Her mom allowed and took the cup of tea from her hands. “Go upstairs; take your boots and your coat.”_

_Her daughter smiled and got rid of the blanket to stand up. She collected her crayons and books before going where her mom told her to. She was excited, after three days in house going out for lunch felt like a great victory. While she got up the stairs she could hear her mother talking to the costumer. The apartment on top of the shop was their home their sweet little home. Belle entered front door and sat on the floor. Behind the door there were her pair of tall yellow plastic gumboots and her thick blue coat with golden buttons, her favorite one._

_She could hear voices from the florist, Belle tighten he lips and looked to the door trying to hear more. She hated when impolite costumers went to the florist or the library. There weren’t a lot but from time to time someone came upset with the flowers of claiming that the book was already damaged when they borrowed it._

_Little Belle went up and stood on her toes to reach the coat, but when her fingers almost touched the fabric the sound of two metallic explosions as two short thunders breaking the air, glass braking and almost instantly a dull sound as something heavy just fell to the floor. Without doubting, Belle became to go down the steps. Every step she took was like a slow motion movement, she felt how her blood froze inside her veins and her heartbeats sounding like drums inside her ears. Two voices sounded like a faraway echo, something like “She doesn’t move.” “We have to go.” By the time she got to the end of the stairs it seem to her hours had past. The tinkle of the bell door floated in the ambient. The panic made her hands and knees tremble, she could hear her own breathing. Little Belle waited a few seconds at the end of the stairs for her mom to come to the back store blaming the impolite costumers looking for a broom. But the seconds past and nothing happened. Fear conquered Belle’s body; all the possibilities of what had happened ran inside her head. Every step really hurt her knees._

_When she reached the curtain and took a look, the first thing she saw was her mother’s hand. Her pale and soft hand leaning on the floor as the rest of her body, completely still. Her eyes wide-opened and her blouse and neck covered in blood. Belle legs failed and made her fell._

_“Mom! Mom!” she tried to make her react._

_Colette’s blouse covered one of the shots, but the other bullet hat hit squarely on her neck. Belle pressed the injury of the neck with both hands looking to her unanimated eyes, those that didn’t show her emotions anymore. Belle's little hands  tried to stop the hemorrhage, but it was too late. the little girl laid down and snuggled next to her mother's body. Her lips trembling, her sobbigns were almost drowning her. she wished so hard her father was there. she cried her mother's mane out luod several times, as if that could return her to life, but it was to late. The blood was also staining her, she didn't want to leave her side._

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Finally Friday! Belle was more than anxious to start in her new job; something that will gave her experience on what she was actually studying in university. The only con was that she had to drive to Storybrooke and back to Boston every weekend but even that had its good side. She would be able to see her friends much more, and her dad. Oh! Yes, her dad. Belle hadn’t mentioned to him about that job yet. And if Gold’s words were true, her Dad will not be  happy with this situation. But why? That was it, that weekend she will ask him about that story between the two families.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Friday again, another weekend to spend trying not to think too much about Bae. No to think why Zelena chose her son for her robbery plan. And how that ended in a terrible car crash and his son dead. After the investigation, the police found out that Bae was shot in the head just before the crash, the most logic explanation was, that his son resisted to Zelena’s blackmail and threats. Why had to be him so brave? Bravery had leaded him to death. It wasn’t fair.

He would like to be more furious about it, let out all the rage, someone on who discharge his revenge desires. But Zelena also died in the crash when the car went down a cliff and overturned several times. And Zelena’s parents? Well those two personages were in jail paying for an early crime, homicide.

The sound of a metallic beat pulled him back to reality. He raised his gaze from the zoomed image of a snowflake necklace that a magnifying glass was offering him.  He directed his ayes to the back store door as he could see through the door. That noise… it must be…He left the necklace on the table and picked up the cane before walking to the door.

That street dog again. It was incredible that the skinny dusty dog had the strength to topple the trash. He was desperately eating from his wastes. His tail waving form side to side completely happy of having found something to eat.

“Hey! Go away” he yelled moving the cane just to fright him.  He didn’t agree with the violence against animals he even liked them, but he didn’t want to adopt any.

The dog reacted as he wanted to, he looked at the threating man with the stick and ran away leaving behind the disaster he caused. With a sight and his balance on the cane, Gabriel bent down to pick up the bin. How many times had he call de pet rescue center? And every time he did, they came up with the same excuse: “it’s too fast.” “we can’t catch him” and the most ridiculous of all, “If this dog has an interest on your property, Mr. gold, you’ll could catch him anytime.” What a service they had. How on earth could a limp man catch a street dog?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Belle had to brake sharply when a fast grey ball of fur crossed the street in front of the car. Pongo who was sat on the front sit got his head out and barked at the street, which made Lady react who was calmly asleep at the back. Belle looked at the dog as he ran away from the scene, startled at what had just happened. Where that dog did came from? It suddenly showed up out of nowhere. When she looked at the other pavement she saw Mr. Gold with one hand on his cane looked wide eyed opened towards her. She did the math and assumed he had frightened the dog. Suddenly she felt ashamed and a bit betrayed by her new boss. She got out of the car and with an annoyed look walk towards him.

“You did that?” She accused him lost in her feelings of anger and fear.

Gabriel leaned both hand on the cane trying to stay strong and serious, but the truth was he was impressed for her reaction. Yes, maybe he was partly guilty, but that wasn’t a reason to that reaction of hers. He opened his mouth once to respond but he had nothing in his mid, he had never seen Miss French like that.

“That street dog was eating from the trash.” He justified himself armored up again.

“He is a street dog! He might be hungry!” she read him as it wasn’t obvious.

The anger and the necessity of a defense made Gabriel react in an aggressive way. As he was a feline he showed his teeth and frown his forehead.

“I’m not going to apologize if that is what you’re expecting!” he said intensifying his voice without even noticing.

In that tense moment Belle couldn’t control her words.

“Of course, because you are too proud for that!” she regretted it the moment the words escape her mouth. But, Belle wasn’t going to show it up. She yelled at her new boss, she could say goodbye to her job.

The silence between them was too tense to say nothing more. Gabriel had his lips tighten and his eyes on her, she attacked him. No one had ever attacked him like that without caring about consequences. When she turned and walked fast to her car he felt disillusioned, he expected something more. Maybe she was doing it on purpose, not giving him the chance to respond, oh, that was cruel.

Gabriel watched her drive down the street before entering the shop again slamming the door. No one dared to get on a fight with him, not until then. That woman had furiously faced him and he knew Belle was an animal lover, so that subject was a bit delicate to come up with. But in that time he was right or that was what he repeated himself. He walked to the back store and sat again on the wooden chair where he was before the conflict, and all because that stupid dog. He refused to think more about it he had things to do.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the front door bell rang. He wasn’t in the mood to attend anyone. Somewhere in his mind there was a mini him that tried to convince him it was absurd to still be annoyed. But his proud side was too strong to accept it.

“Mr. Gold?” A familiar female voice sounded from the shop.

He raised his head from the desk at the moment, a side smile appeared in his lips and a suddenly feeling of victory made him stand up and walk to the curtain that divided the two parts of the shop. But he stop right before entering the shop, he couldn’t go there smiling it will only got things worse. He took a deep breath and did again his non feeling expression.

She was armed-crossed still angry, just as he was few seconds ago. Gold could see she was about to apologize, but not for real and that wasn’t as fun as he expected. It seemed she had prepared something to say but refused to begin the conversation.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Miss French?” He started.

Belle looked at him for a second but turned her gaze away.

“I came to apologize Mr. Gold.” She stalked. “My reaction was inappropriate.”

Gabriel looked away and snorted kind of disillusioned.

“Don’t apologize just because you’re afraid of losing your job.” He answered and then shrugged his shoulders. “You still are the only one I rely on for this job.”

Belle rubbed her own arms uncomfortable for the situation.

“And I thank you for that.” She said lowering her voice. “Okay you’re right” she finally made eye contact. “I’m not sorry, but I want to keep our deal you have to know how much I appreciate this opportunity.”

Well that wasn’t what he expected, but it was something. After a deep breath and a silent nod of her head he thought everything was ok, that the conversation finished but she was still there and she looked like she wanted to say something more.

“You need something more, Miss French?”

“Indeed, yes.” She said taking a view of every object her eyes could find, like she was searching for something. “I need to know how you knew my mother.”

Gabriel’s hands tighten on the cane; there were the words he was so scared to hear. He couldn’t tell her the truth; his deal with Colette had survived her death. Colette made him swear not tell her or anyone what happened. He couldn’t tell her daughter the he was her mother’s lawyer who managed the last will and testament of her grandparents and after the murder of Colette was also he who took over the division of her legacy.

“You promised me that story, and I want to know before we start working.” Belle explained.

He looked at her, she seemed decided. He had no escape; he had to tell her something.

“When my son and I came to this town, your mother was the first and the only one to welcome us, and she helped Bae to get admitted in the school, that’s all.”


	9. Dangerous land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold keeps going to theraphy while Belle tries to find out something more about the diary.

“Good morning, Gabriel.” Dr. Hopper greeted him while he stepped aside to let him enter the room. Since the last session, Archie decided that to probe in deeper memories and feelings they should establish an atmosphere of trust, which included calling him by his name.

Gabriel Gold remained silent upon entering and when he sat on the couch. He left the cane leaning beside the sofa and took his usual position. He rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands intertwined fingers. Archival Hopper sat on the chair in front of the sofa with his legs crossed, a notebook resting on his knee and a pen in one hand. He couldn’t stop focusing on the professional, but Archie also wanted to create an atmosphere of calm in which Gabriel could feel safe and reach the root of his problems. But with him it was incredibly difficult. Normally, he would ask his patients what they wanted to talk about, or he would ask about their family or their work. That didn’t work with him; Gabriel would answer that with single words as _good_ or _nothing_. With him, Archie should enter the subject and pull him into it.

“Henry was here yesterday.” Archie talked. “He is doing great, but he told me something interesting.”

Gabriel looked to his hands and tightened his lips. He hadn’t spent any of his free time with his grandson since Bealfire’s death.

“He is worried about you” Archie continued. “He doesn’t say it with the exact words, Gabriel, but I, as a therapist, can assure you that your grandson believes that you blame him for his father’s death.”

Gabriel raised his sight from his hands and looked at the doctor. The words that he just said bounced in his brain causing the worst pain he ever felt. It has never entered his head to blame his grandson for the death of his son. He loved Henry, he was the only family he had left and he was so like Bae.

“I would never blame him for that.” He argued.

Archie nodded silent and wrote something on his notebook.

“Maybe, you could do something about that.”

Gabriel played nervously with his fingers and took a discreet glance to his cane. Archie’s eyes followed his and finally h thought he knew what was going on in his mind, or at least part of it.

“He loves you, Gabriel. You have been a good father and a good grandfather that is not going to change now.”

Gold passed a hand through his hair with a deep breath; he didn’t want to talk about it. He had only agreed to those sessions for his grandson. So he didn’t feel like ‘the odd boy who went to a therapist’. But it took a few sessions for Gabriel to realize that he really needed that. After every appointment he felt like the weight on his shoulders was a bit lighter. Although that didn’t mean it was still hard for him to talk about himself.

“Everything is different now.” He said

Archie looked back at him and then to his notes, maybe it was time to enter the cane-subject. There was something related with that time of his live that still pulled him back.

“What is different Gabriel?” Archie followed the conversation.

“Baelfire was the strong. He was the one who kept me fighting, he was the reason why I encourage to undergo the surgery, because of him I had the courage to divorce. I wanted to give him a better life, the life that he deserved. Without him, nothing I do makes sense.”

Archie looked without writing in the notebook throughout his speech. He would never have imagined that the most feared man in town would share those words with him. No doubt he was making a great effort to communicate. And he was going to approach the situation.

“What happened to your leg?”

Gabriel took a quick look to his injured leg and back to his hands. A sudden pressure felt in his lungs, his fingers started to shake and he closed the fists to dissimulate.

“When Milah told me she was pregnant I realized that I wanted to do it for my child. My ex-wife tried to convince me several times before, but I was…” Gabriel remained silent for a few seconds trying to find the exact words. “I wasn’t sure about it.”

The doctor nodded at what he said, but he was very aware that Gabriel didn’t answer to his question and he wasn’t going to surrender.

“Yes, but Gabriel, the question was ‘what happened’”

Gabriel tightened his fists till his knuckles turned white. That was too much; he looked down to his knees. That was part of his past, his darkest past. No one, except Milah knew with left him limp, and if she knew it was because she shared those years with him. When Gabriel raised his head, decided to answer, he had been too much without saying anything.

“Military service” he simply answered.

Archie took a slow deep breath and slowly leaned back on his chair with a tired look. The winning streak ended, he found a wall that couldn’t pass. For some reason he didn’t yet understand, Gabriel refused to talk about his past before his ex-wife. And that proved that his injury, not only was part of his past with Milah, it was also part of something else. But, even knowing that, he couldn’t allow his patient to hide behind a lie.

“You haven’t ever been in the army, I know that Gabriel, don’t lie to me.” His patient looked straight into his eyes with a mixture of terror and aggressiveness. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about it, but Archie had to make sure he didn’t lie again. “If you had been in the army, you would have passed several psychological evaluations already and you would have brought me all the documentation the day we had our first session.”

The beep from the alarm clock that announced the end of the session saved Gabriel from that violent situation. He had the urgent need to go out that room. Without any last word he took his cane and stood up from the sofa. He didn’t need a reminder of his next appointment he knew when he had to go. At that moment he only wanted to go to his shop and start working in complete silence.

 

* * *

 

“Good morning, little mermaid!” Belle greeted Ariel, one of her closest friends and secretary in the town hall of Storybrooke. The wide green eyed and red haired woman raised her sight from the computer screen and looked at her as she didn’t believe what her eyes showed her. That nickname came from their old high school days, when Ariel was the swimming team captain, and she was so proud and happy with that, Belle was really surprise she didn’t continue with it. But her reason was more emotional than rational, as Belle opined. Eric and her were about to get married, they were happy together, and Belle had nothing to say against that.

Her friend stood up from the chair and went to hug her. Belle corresponded with a wide smile, even though she felt a bit guilty inside because of the favor she was going to ask her.

“What are you doing in Storybrooke?” the red haired asked her leaning both hands on belle’s shoulders.

Belle shrugged her shoulders as it was nothing so important to talk about. But the truth was, her thought could only focused on what took her there.

“Well, I’ve got a weekend job here.” She smiled at her friend’s happiness.

“That’s great!” she said totally surprised. “Where? At the florist?”

Belle shook her head unable to hide her smile; her friend wasn’t going to guess in a million years. But why was she so excited for her friend to guess? And why was she smiling? Feeling some shame for that feeling, she bit her chins from the inside to stop smiling.

“Granny’s? “ Her friend was still thinking about possible places in town where she could be working. “By the way, what’s that?” Ariel asked glancing to the wicker basket that was hanging from her friends arm.

“Oh! This!” Belle reacted more relieved for changing the subject than she expected, or she would admit out loud. “I’ve gone through Granny’s before getting here.” She said removing the red cloth to show her friend the white chocolate and berries cupcakes. “I bet you have a coffee machine here.”

Ariel smiled from ear to ear without removing her eyes from the cupcakes in the basket. She remained silent while she took the basket and walked to the staff room. Belle interpreted silence as an invitation and started to follow her.

“And, sure you’re not here just for breakfast.” Ariel assumed when they entered the staff room.

Belle’s blood stopped running through her organism for a few seconds, she was so busted.

“Why you say that?” she tried to keep her acting.

Ariel left the basket on the table and walked to the coffee machine with complete normality.

“You aren’t good dissimulating, you know.” She explained while she prepared both mugs of coffee. “When something is in your head it’s visible for everyone.”

Belle sat at the table and leaned both hands on it; her friend’s words weren’t very comforting.

“What can I do for you?” Ariel asked putting one of the mugs in front of her and taking the other between her hands. She sat in front of her and waited for whatever Belle had to say. She was taping the cup with one hand looking at its dark content. Deciding if she was really going to do what took her there, or if it was something she could ask her friend. Well, she hadn’t made her way there and bought the best cupcakes in town to go back on.

“I need you to do me a favor.” She started. “I need to enter the property records.”

Ariel stopped the mug halfway through her mouth to look at her, for everything she could think about, that suggestion wasn’t even on of the most logic one.

“Why?” Was the first thing Ariel asked. “And even I knew the reason, I can’t, there are very antique books there Belle.”

“Please, Ariel, Please!” Belle begged using her puppy eyes. “I’ll be very silent, and I won’t break anything.” She really needed to enter that archive, the diary in her inside coat pocket belonged to a woman who lived in Storybrooke and maybe her descendants were still there. Belle had the need to find them and return the diary, it was the correct thing. Ariel, on the contrary, wasn’t very convinced about that, maybe it was because she hadn’t enough information, but Belle hoped it would be enough for her to rely.

“okay!” she surrendered. “You have one hour, only one hour, no more. And for the record, “She took a cupcake from the basket. “I do it for the cupcakes, not for you.” She joked.

That was simply great, she had access to the archives for an hour, more than she had expected. Belle hoped the search would be fast and successful due to all the investigation she carried on before, but when her friend Ariel opened the archive’s door and she facer all those shelves filled with books, some so old the writing was hardly understanding, she felt how the blood in her veins went down to her feet. She needed more than one hour for that.

Ariel left her and returned to her job. Belle couldn’t panic with the limited time she had. She took the diary from the pocket and opened it to the last page. Fortunately, Elizabeth Layla de Villeneuve had the good habit of writing the date in every entrance of her diary. With that, Belle searched the book of that year and beyond. If she could find out where she lived, she could follow a line of inheritance until her last descendant. But, considering that the whole town belonged to one man, he boss, she hoped to find also a contract of sale with the name and signature of the seller.

When she finally found the book she wanted, Belle removed it from the shelf very carefully. It was too old and wasn’t even typed. It was handwritten, the calligraphy was stretched and little, but still easy to read. As stayed the diary, Elizabeth married a man from the Villeneuve family and moved to his house. The address was written under the name of her husband, without losing a second, belle pulled a pen from her pocket and noted the address in her wrist. When there’s a lack of paper, hands and arms are a good alternative.

She continued reading through the next generation of that family that also stayed in the family house, but when she wanted to go to the next one, she had to search for the following book. The next one was a bit more modern, what made her read faster, in few minutes she knew all the names of that family, she was so close to know if the knew owner, and the real owner, of the diary was still in town that she felt anxious to get to the last page. But there was no last page. A page was missing and she could see that because of the piece of paper that was still attached to the book. That wasn’t possible, she closed the book and looked around her just in case the page fell and she didn’t notice, but the floor was clear.

Suddenly she heard some voices from the outside and she rushed to put back the books in their places. Time was out, she had to go, Ariel had done too much for her, and she mustn’t cause her problems at work. She left the archives and closed the door making as less noises as possible. The voices came from the front, where Ariel was working. They were two, females, and one of them was very familiar to her. Regina, the mayor of Storybrooke. Regina’s mad mood was known by all, she hated when people bothered her at the town hall she only attended extremely necessary meetings; Belle always thought she was a very lonely person.

She ran silently to the staff room. Her plan was to wait there until the mayor and the woman who was making Regina to raise her voice and argue were gone. It was a great plan, there was no proof she had been in the archives, and Ariel told her there was no cameras in that room. And at that moment, as it had read her mind and was waiting the best moment to betray her, her phone rang. The music came out from her coat as she tried to find the device. She was going to get caught. And after a few seconds of music it muted again. Perfect, just perfect. There was no reason to hide anymore. Her phone display showed a photo of her dad and the advice of the missing call. With a deep breath she stepped outside the staff room and walked to Ariel’s table.

“Oh! Belle.” Ariel called her with a wide smile. When she saw her, belle was somewhat puzzled. No having the phone in silence was going to cause a big problem to one of her best friends. That wasn’t a reason to smile. “Thank you again for the cupcakes, you shouldn’t have bothered.” Ariel rushed. “I’m sure you know Madam Mayor, and this is her mother Mrs. Mills.”

Belle smiled with relived. The cupcakes, bless the cupcakes! She greeted Regina and then paid attention to the sophisticated lady who was at the Mayor’s side. She wore perfect makeup, a pristine costume. She was a business woman from head to toe. Only her scent inspired success and determination, but her stare, her stare was too cold for being human.

“Nice to meet you, I am Belle French.” She tried to say as polite and calm she could. She extended the hand without the address of the De Villeneuve’s house and waited to the woman to correspond her greeting. But she took a couple seconds to scan her and then make a half smile when she heard her name. Belle felt a shiver going down her spine that scared her for one moment. But when the woman finally shook her hand Belle thought it was over.

“I am Cora Mills.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it!


	10. A Path to trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cora visits Gabriel at the shop. Belle finds the old house of the "de Villeneuve".  
> More secrets are revealed, threats, blackmail. Gabriel is begining this new relation with lies, and Belle knows it.

2 p.m. and Belle had so much to do before going to Mr. Golds pawnshop and antiques, her new work place as an art and antique assistant. She hadn’t eaten yet, she had to note the mysterious address before she forgot she had it on her wrist and she had to buy a map, the address didn’t sound familiar to her. And that was strange, very strange, she had lived her whole live in that town, and to be honest, Storybrooke wasn’t as big as people said. She knew every business and every street, so why that address sounded so unfamiliar?

The more she thought about it the more was she sure that a modern map of Storybrooke won’t help her. The building, if still existed, had to be old, very old, maybe that street she had written on her wrist was now one she knew but with other name. But there was no change of address in the books, that thought suddenly invaded her mind.

A melody from her coat pocket pulled her out of her unconfirmed hypothesis. Her feed stopped at once and she took her phone out to see her boss name on the display. Belle panicked for a moment, was she late? No, impossible, she was supposed to go at 4:30 p.m. she took a deep breath and answered the call.

“Mr. Gold! You want me to go earlier?” she spoke first.

“No, Miss French” He answered with an unusual tone in his voice. Belle suddenly liked just to hear his voice; it was easier to figure out what was going on in his head without seeing him. His presence, with that aura of pride and power that gave him the suit, the cane, that expression of unemotional that prorogued her a chill go down her spine, or was it a tingling? Why was she thinking about that?

“Oh!” that was all she could answer. Oh? Just oh? Her head scolded herself.

“You can take the day off, we’ll begin tomorrow.” He continued talking.

Belle made a fist and flexed the arm in an energetic victory gesture. If she wasn’t wearing a 4.3 inch heels she would have jumped of happiness because she had all day to investigate about the de Villeneuve family.

“Oh, thank you Mr. Gold.” That oh, again. “Well, see you tomorrow” she rushed and hung up.

 

* * *

 

What a estrange reaction of her. He thought while he stared at his phone. Well, now he had all the afternoon to spare with his grandson, Henry. With a sincere smile Gabriel searched for his daughter-in-law phone number. He was absolutely prepared for it. He would pick up Henry at the bus stop, he would take him to Granny’s and invite him to the biggest and sweetest ice cream he wanted to choose and then… well, then he would have to take the subject of Bealfire.

“Gabriel?” the voice of Emma sounded from the other side of the line.

“Emma” he reacted to her voice as he just waked up. “How are you?”

She waited to answer, not because she was thinking about what to say but because she hadn’t received a call from him.

“I’m… I’m fine, Gabriel”

He blamed himself for the awkward of the situation; he should have called more often. Dr. Hopper was right even without Bae, Emma and Henry were still there waiting for him. “I was wondering if I could take Henry to eat in Granny’s and spend the day with him.”

“Yes!” Emma hurried to answer; surely she was waiting for him to do a suggestion like that. So Henry was really thinking he blamed him, he had to solve that as soon as possible. “The school bus stops in an hour near Granny’s, ask Henry for the home work and even if he says he has done it at school ask him to show it.”

Gabriel did a smirk a bit more relaxed, he remembered when Bae and her use to argue because Henry forgot his homework or didn’t do it. His son always had the opinion that the overloading of homework wasn’t good for children; he’d always organize outdoor activities for his son and him even in school days. Emma, on the other hand, was very aware of what did her and Bae leave their studies, so she developed strict behavior with homework and school. Bot, Bealfire and Emma, were the perfect parents for his grandson.

“I know what to do, Emma.”

The front door bell tinkled. And his attention immediately focused on the new client. “See you later then, Emma.” He wasn’t expecting anyone. To receive a client for him was an unusual event. Maybe because of the resentment the town villagers processed towards him. Sometime, he wanted to remember them why he was the town owner. Without him, the town would still be bankrupt. Gabriel still remembered the expression in the face of Mayor Henry Mills, the father of the current mayor of Storybrooke, begging him to help in the economy of the town. The ignorant villagers didn’t understand it.

But the costumer that awaited him in the shop was the only one he had never expected to see again.

“Cora…”   He left out in the most unconscious way. The powerful business woman shared profession with him, he would like to say that what the difference between them were their methods but the truth was both were willing to do whatever to win a case.

The woman stopped looking around the shop she was in a storage room and looked right at him.

“Gabriel.” She greeted as well. The only sound of his name on her lips, made him want to kick her out of the shop.

“What do you want?” he put both hands on the cane and tried to contain himself.

Cora stretched her jacket cuffs in a smart movement, and for Gabriel’s eyes, too snooty. “Oh! Don’t talk me like that, Gabriel! Is there nothing left of our past friendship?”

“That wasn’t nothing of the sort.” He made it clear showing his teeth with every word.

She approached the glass vitrine sensually bouncing her hips with every step she took towards him. “I wouldn’t say that. Not once…” she leaned both hands on the vitrine and muttered. “Not twice.”

“Two mistakes I won’t repeat.” He answered looking directly to her eyes and his hand tightened on the cane. “Now, why are you here?” he redirected the conversation.

“I need your help.” She said without her eyes apart, waiting for any reaction to come. But from what she could ever imagine, his reaction was very different. Suddenly he smiled and his muscles relaxed.

“Oh!” He laughed and walked behind the desk to the counter desk on the left, leaning his cane by his injured leg in every step. “You, asking me for help.” He turned to see her with an evil smile. “Let me treasure this moment.”

He knew that if Cora needed his help, it was her last resort. There wasn’t a day when Gabriel didn’t blame himself for relying on her and let himself open up to a woman that at the end it was more poison than human.

“It’s for the Viridis.” She said and suddenly the ambiance fell to a tense silence.

“What?” he nearly shouted.

She took a deep breath and crossed her arms below her breasts. “They lost their Daughter, they deserve to get out of jail and live their loss under probation.” Rage and anger swelled his veins, not that case, it was closed, and those two people were where they truly have to be. “You know where I’m going, Gabriel.” She continued. “I need the girl to testify.”

“Let me get all together” He tried to remain calm even it was so difficult, because of what Cora was proposing. “You want me to convince Belle to testify in front of a judge, to set her mother’s murderers free so they can live the loss of their daughter, Zelena, who murdered my son!” the last words were part of the releasing anger that left his throat in a shout.

“First, there’s no visual whiteness of the murder of Colette French, the only thing you have is the testimony of a ten year old traumatized girl.”

He pointed her with a finger in a threating gesture and showed his teeth as a feline who protected his territory.

“You know exactly the evidence that made Mrs. and Mr. Viridis went to jail.”

Cora Mills showed her hand palms to point she hasn’t finished yet.

“And second,” She proceeded raising her voice. “you know the police found finger prints in the gun involved in your son’s death, both from Zelena and you son. Plus your son was driving the car when they crashed.”

That was enough for him, he needn’t to listen to all that. Gabriel pointed aggressively at the door.

“Get out.”

Cora felt how the situation was going out of her hands, so she decided to take out the heavy artillery. She wasn’t going to lose this time.

“Careful, Gabriel.” She talked slowly and with a threatening shade in her voice. “As you said I know exactly what took the Viridis marriage to jail.” She took a step towards him. “And for your good, you'll agree that, that girl never knows about her family.”

And with that said Cora turned on her heels and walked to the door, ready to get out of the shop. But when she had already opened the door, she stopped and turned again to face Gabriel.

“By the way, I saw her this morning at the property and family records. Watch that girl Gold.”

 

* * *

 

After searching and finally founding an antique map of the town, she could begin her adventure. It turned that the oldest map of the town wasn’t in the antique shop as she thought the first time. It was at Granny’s, Amanda Lucas, or Granny as she liked to be called, had that map in her family for generations and she never noticed. The name of the streets where hand written, the whole picture was a beautiful piece of art.

She made some photo with her phone and took the dogs with her to approach the ride. She didn’t know what she was going to find, maybe a new building, maybe ruins or even nothing.

Pongo walked ahead without strap, he was a dog you could trust, not like Lady, the cocker had the extreme impulse to run after every animal and cyclist she saw.

Walking down Main Street with an eye on her phone’s screen and the other checking on Pongo Belle tried to see the old Storybrooke in the streets of the new one. Main Street was the same, but the street that came out of it had changed. Some of them were new and some of the old ones had completely disappeared. She crossed the street and reached the street she had written on her wrist on the map. But all she could find was a dirt road without indication. She checked the map again and returned to the street before it. There was no doubt, that dirt road was the street she was looking for.

But it can be, she knew that road, Belle knew where it ended. In a beautiful white house with blue roofs, the one which ruby showed her, the house which owner was no other than Gabriel Gold.

 

* * *

 

“You seem worried Grandpa.” Henry said after another spoon of chocolate ice cream.

Gabriel had also one in front of him but he wasn’t devouring it as his grandson. He made a light smile and shook his head.

“It’s nothing Henry, just stuff from work.” He smiled again and took a spoon full of ice cream. “But today it’s only for you and me.”

Henry made a full teeth smile and finished his ice cream.

“By the way.” His grandpa continued. “Do you have any homework?”

The kid left up a snort and did a slight side smile, just as Baelfire used to do.

“I have math exercises”

Gabriel slid his ice cream bowl to a side of the table and bent a bit on the table to talk to his grandson in a lower tone of voice.

“Let’s do this. I’ll give you all the answers and then we can go to the park, I repaired the wood swords.”

Henry made a big smile for a moment, but then his eyes went to the cane next to his Grandpa.

“But, can you fight now?” the limp was something Gabriel didn’t like to talk about, he told Henry that an old injury was hurting him and that was pretty normal.

“Don’t worry about it, of curse I can.” He lied. “Hey! Let’s go” he said and took the cane to stand up at the same time Henry did. Gabriel left the money for the two ice creams on the table and prepared to go, but then his phoned from the pocket of his jacket.

“Is everything ok?” Henry asked fearing that his work could interfere with their day together.

Gabriel read the text message from Belle “We need to talk” and rushed to write back “Tomorrow” and sent it before henry started to worry too much.

 

“Yes, let’s go Henry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Viridis ((Latin: green)
> 
> Hope you liked it! comment and kudos!


	11. And now wait.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nasty habits could keep them apart.

Belle sat on one of the kitchen chairs in front of the massive paper mess she had done in less than half an hour. She was so angry and upset, that find it even realized that, that had nothing to do with her. It wasn't her family or her house, but the important thing was that he had lied to her. 

She wanted to begin a sincere work relationship with him and the truth was that she couldn't trust in Gabriel Gold. Once or twice appeared in her mind that, if he had lied to her with that, in what more had he been lying? Belle felt betrayed and for one moment she felt the impulse of throwing all the evidence she searched, and the diary, that were on the table, through the window; take Pongo and Lady and drive back to Boston. But she didn't. Instead, she took a deep breath with her eyes closed and count to ten very slow. 

She needed that job, and on the other hand was her own decision to trust him. That made her felt so stupid, just as her father used to warned her, people are not as nice and good as you want them to be. But was it that much? She only asked for a sincere work relationship, of course, Mr Gold happened to have some kind of allergy to truth. Was that the only thing he’d lied about? Or were there more? Like, for example, her mother. Maybe Gold kept information from her about her mother. Belle shock her head and blinked. That thought went too far, if Gold knew anything about her mother, he wouldn’t be the only one, her father would know and Maurice French was too easy to interrogate.

Her father used to say that she was he had been blessed with the most intelligent women in the world, and he used to defend himself saying that using their mental power against him wasn’t what heroes do. Very clever, as Belle went through a period, before her mother’s death, when only read adventure stories, with heroes and villains. The kitchen door opened and her dad entered the room with his sight fixed on all the papers scattered on the table. Belle stood up and she collected all the evidence of her investigation that she could in one single movement, before her dad pronounced himself with one of his famous phrases like “Shouldn’t you be studying?” she hated that. She was the second in her class; she had very good grades why her dad felt the need of making such questions? Maybe was a parent thing. As they have been given a book titled _Phrases you must tell at least once to your son or daughter before they become independent_ . That thought made her smile, maybe she should write that book and sell it to all parents and become rich, and then buy the whole town and be the one who gives orders to Mr. Gold. Okay, too much imagination.

“Belle” her Dad called her attention.

“Yes?” She answered when she had saved all the documents of her investigation.

“I just asked if you are hungry. You barely ate breakfast.” Her dad sat by her side with a worried look.

She closed her old bag and the looked at him with a sweet smile.

“I’m okay dad, I just…” She took a deep breath, knowing she was working for the town monsters was too much for her father, and he knew the motives, and sure he blamed himself for failing to do anything about it. “I’m a bit tired, that’s all.” She said rubbing her eyes.

Moe took a look to the bag and then opened the fridge. “Where you studying?” There it was, another phrase for her future best seller.

“Yes.” She lied, just to make things easier.

Moe took a tray of meat and other vegetables from the fridge. “Then take a break and help me with lunch.”

She nodded stood up from her sit.

“Do you have to work today?” Her dad asked.

Belle felt how her entire body froze; well not work, she would have to face her boss because he lied to her when she initially tried to have a relationship based in trust.

“yes.” She just answered. “Tomorrow I will leave in the morning, so I will have to do everything today.”

 

Gabriel walked as fast as his injured leg let him, another day he had the hope he would woke up and walk normal again, but his body still wanted to remember him he wasn’t completely healed. No one can heal form the loss of a son. Dr. Hopper still insisted that it was something psychological. But, if Bae’s death was the reason of it, would that mean that he needed Bae to walk properly again? Or another son? No, he would not have more children, Bae would be the one and only, forever.

He entered the shop with his free hand carrying a Granny’s dinner plastic bag; he wasn’t a big fan of its reheated and overprized lasagna, but coffee and burgers where acceptable. He walked to the back shop willing to have a quiet and calmed lunch break. Gabriel Gold appreciated very much every minute he spent alone in absolute silence, and that day those moments were even more special due to what was going to happen that day. He lied to he, she knew, he was in big trouble. But one thing was sure he had to keep his deal. His deals were unswerving. But, how much longer could hide information to his new employee? Belle was indeed more intelligent and more alert than her mother, and he thought Colette was the most intelligent woman he ever met. He had at least two hours to prepare for what he was going to say or how he was going to dodge her accusations.

After successfully eating quietly, or as quiet as he could get. Gabriel turned on the computer to confirm that the advertisement of sale of an antique shop had not disappeared. It was another shop in a small town called Grand View, the text from the advertisement was too emotional for someone who wants to shell its business, maybe the owner or owners where leaving the town. But he wasn’t as interested in the shop as he was in the items being sold there, and Gabriel had thought of making an offer to purchase the shop and all that was in there, and why not? He had enough money and liked antiques and also that business gave him money.

He didn’t know how much he had been observing that an many more advertisements, but well the little bell on top the front door tinkled and he heard the door closing he started to prepare himself for what was coming. The gentle sound of the footsteps of heels approached the door of the back shop separated by a curtain.

There she was silently looking around and finally focusing her eyes on him. It was like that room surprised here every time she entered, a look in her face that he personally liked, secretly liked, no one needed to know that.

“Good afternoon, Miss French.” He greeted her maintaining his impenetrable expression.

She nodded silent redirecting her gaze to her own feet. Sure she was preparing all she wanted to say. And Gold didn’t know what was worse, her irritable need of knowing the truth at all times, or the waiting for her anger to show up.

“Yesterday you interrupted a very important meeting.” He complained. “You demaned to talk to me. So what was it?” The tone of his voice was so egotistical and impertinent that made her want to scream at his face how stupid he was. he could be as macho men with who he wanted, but not with her, not if he wanted her to continue working for him.

“You lied.” She finally said. “And I don’t understand why.”

“It is quite simple Miss French, what’s between me and the de Villeneuve family is my business” he answered showing his tight teeth that way he did when he felt threatened, just like a wild feline, but it wasn’t time to imagine her boss with that much hair, whiskers and paws.

And that was the moment when Belle hated to have such a wide imagination.

“But there could be real treasures inside that house” she tried to convince him.

“I said no Miss French!” he declared authoritatively. “And I am the one who takes decisions here.”Those words were for her as if he had closed the door in her face. He made the decisions? When he was convinced that a writing desk was twenty years younger? He should be grateful to have an assessor who will protect him from those who might cheat him. She tightened her lips in desperation of wanting to shout at him why he needed her if he said no to every idea she had. For once, she wanted to have control of the situation, and she knew exactly what to do. At any other time, she would have thought it was too despicable method. But that was the way he had decided to play, so she was not going to be left behind. She took a deep breath and let her feelings talk, whishing she won’t regret it after.“Okay, you are right” And suddenly, Gold’s facial features relaxed, changing from defense to relieve and then to confusion. “It is your business, not mine, and because it is so I understand that you don’t necessarily need me here every weekend.” She joined her own hands and took a quick sight to them, sign that she wasn’t completely sure of what she was doing. “I also have other obligations, as you may know” Belle stayed strong, her head up again and her eyes fixed on his, and mentally so confused by his look, an estrange sparkling threatened to deconcentrate her. “So call me, or send me a mail whenever you need my opinion or you think someone is cheating you.” She had already said everything and there was not a word to utter, time to go.“Till you need me again, Gold.” She walked to the door and closed it behind her. She walked quickly down the street repeating to herself that she had done the right thing, but a part of her mind was telling her the contrary, that she had to go back and apologize, because he was right, he was her boss. No she wasn’t going back; she made her clear, now she just had to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late update.


	12. Emails

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bast mayority of times, people used to make deals with Gabriel Gold to hide secrets, information to protect others or themselves. Maybe not all secrets were made to remain silent forever.

The front door opened brutally and let in a furious Maurice, so fed up with that situation, that was seriously thinking about strangling the town owner. On the contrary, Mr. Gold was as calm as always not even surprised about the situation of a villager entering his shop like that. Maybe it wasn't the first time something like that happened.

"Watch out! You're going to break my little bell!" He claimed referring to the one on top of the door.

"You!" Moe pointed at him with a finger, his cheeks red and his voice filled with rage. 

Gabriel looked at him glancing his head slightly to one side, looking at him as he didn't understand a thing. And remained a moment in silence before speaking. "What brings you here Mr. French?" 

"You did something to her." Moe accused him.

Mr. Gold left slowly and calmed the candelabra he was cleaning and the cloth he was using for it on the glass expositor. He wasn’t going to alter because that uncivilized personage believed he was in power to defy him. "Really, I don't know what you are talking about."

"Belle, she left this morning and she wasn't as always, you did something." The town florist moved his fat finger pointing at him. Gabriel Gold remembered the only time he had seen it that way; the day Moe knew that his wife’s parent’s heritage was being handled by him. Even though it was Colette’s decision, Moe still didn’t trust him, neither anyone in town did. Late did Gabriel realize that, Colette was his only friend; or at least something near a friend. “You think you can play with people like that, you are a monster, Gold." 

Gabriel shook his head in a slight move and blinked to recover the sense of reality. He was so tired of that deal, the fulfilment had been complicating more and more the last weeks, from the moment he met her. And he was so tired of supporting that weight on his shoulders while her father lived without any concern. Moe was still pointing at him and blaming him of whatever he wanted to, his words were barely an echo to Gabriel’s ears. Maybe it was time, Maurice French shared some of his responsibilities, and after all he knew the content of Colette’s deal with him.

"She found it, the house"

Maurice’s reprimand stopped at that moment; maybe he expected to find a quiet Gold while he left out everything he wanted to against him. He looked at the town owner as he had spoken in a strange language he didn’t realized what sense made those words in the conversation.

"What house?"

Gabriel had the sudden temptation of drawing a diagram of the recent events so the minuscule brain of Maurice could understand it. But instead he did an impatient side smile and made that pompous gesture with his had so characteristic of him, and spoke with all the sarcasm he could use.

"Just a white house with blue roofs, the one at the end of a dusty old path near the beach. Does it sound familiar to you?" 

And suddenly,  Maurice’s face went pure white.

"How?" 

Then Gabriel made another pompous gesture with his hand.

"I think that's a question you should ask your daughter" 

Maurice’s voice started trembling, it was impressive how much fear could cause that family even after death.

"But the deal…"

Gabriel Gold shook his hand in front of the man not feeling in the mood to give any concessions.

"The deal didn't include your irritable impertinent daughter to found it out by herself" then he pointed the door. “Now, get out.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey small-town girl.” Belle raised her sight from the display of her phone and turned to see her very best friend outside Storybrooke.

“Lumière!” she greeted and hugged him. He corresponded with a huge smile; compared to him Belle looked even shorter.

“I thought you were coming back in the afternoon.” He talked with that hypnotizing French accent.

She took a deep breath and raised her elbows once they had separated from the hub.

“What happened?” Her friend asked clearly worried.

Belle left out the air in her lungs and denied.

“Can we talk with a coffee and something to eat?”

The Corner Dinner was the nearest local to her apartment that offered good food, despite the insane number of Starbucks. Both of them were regulars at that place. Belle ordered an iced tea and Lumière a caffe latte, and in the middle of them a plate with two pancakes for each other, nothing compared to the French crêpes as her friend would complain every time they ordered it. And down on the floor a bowl of water for both of the dogs that lied next to their beloved human.

“So what happened?”  Lumière finally asked after the waiter left their order on the table. “And don’t tell me ‘nothing’ cause we two know that’s not true” 

Belle looked around her like she felt someone was watching her and tickled her nails on the tea glass.

“Well I had kind of a disagreement with my boss.”

“Your boss? Oh! The old man with a cane.” He said after taking a sip to his coffee.

“He is not that old.” She defended him before she realized what she’d said. Belle looked at her friend internally begging he didn’t give much importance to her words. But what she found was her French friend raising his eyebrows. “Stop.” She warned.

Lumière placed his cup on the table again and cut a small part of one of his pancakes.

“What kind of disagreement? The type you end up fired?” he asked and took the fork to his mouth.

“Not that serious.” She denied. “It’s just; he behaves like everyone is going to attack him.”  Belle tried to explain. “And he is keeping important information from me.” She pointed his friend with a finger to refine her words. “Important information that can save him money or even provide him more!” She let out a snort. “He hired me to be an assistant and when I find something really interesting he just….ahg!” she finished trying to contain the anger.

Lumière looked at her with a raised eyebrow and the cup very near his mouth, but instead of taking another sip he put it down again.

“Sorry, I missed part of the story.”

Belle put her hands on the table and took a deep breath.

“If it’s not a super-secret operation of the antiques market.” He said.

But Belle needed to tell someone all that was inside her head.

“I found a diary, about a girl, with a very sad story that ended up married to a man she didn’t love but insanely rich. And it happens that the mansion she lived in with her husband is in Storybrooke.” She looked at him with wide-opened eyes. “I’m sure that inside that house are real treasures, but he doesn’t want to do anything about it.”

“What’s the family name?” he asked and finished drinking his coffee.

“De Villeneuve, or something similar.” She answered.

“ _De Villenúv_ ” he pronounced it correctly with his accent.

Belle also finished with her tee and made a gesture with her hand as saying that wasn’t the focus.

“Well, Belle, the best I can say to you is not to worry, is not your business. He is the one losing money.”

Maybe those were the most illuminating words Belle could hear, he was right, after all, it was Mr. Gold who needed her assessment. She could find any other job in Boston double the prestigious than working in a little town business. Or that was what she wanted to believe, because the days passed and she didn’t receive any emails from her maybe still boss or maybe she got herself fired that day and she didn’t remember. The more she tried to recreate that situation, the less she remembered.

But then on Thursday morning, after antique restoration class her phone vibrated inside her skaterskirt’s pocket.

_Miss French:_

_I attached to you in this same mail the announcement of a quite interesting auction taking place next month in New York._

_Considering the family who arranges this event, I will take the risk and say it is going to be really interesting._

_So book your days between the 26 th and 30th._

_G.Gold._

Belle re-read the email twice, and by the third time she realized that Gold wasn’t going to apologize, in fact, he was behaving as if nothing had happened. She went from calm to wanting to set his shop on fire in less than a second. But no, she won’t fall for anger or pride, he and only he was the one with an ego of the size of… of something really big. She rubbed her nose and forehead with her hand, she was so tired, her new subjects were exhausting and the idea of having her internship done before everyone else thanks to Mr. Gold’s offer wasn’t a tempting idea any more. Sacrifice social life to have more time to study next semester, the idea sounded so convincing inside her head.

As she walked outside the building, she closed that mail and tried to trick her brain to convince herself that, that information didn’t exist in her reality.

She ate a salad quickly before her next class an after that she went straight home, left the books, took the dogs and went to the library where she worked every day. That night there was a presentation of a horror and thriller book. Lumière in his, obviously perfect assigned, job as event manager was setting the posters with the book cover and the author’s portrait.

She went behind the counter, dogs following her. Lady sat by her side and pongo lied on the big purple cushion meant for him. A folded newspaper was on a side of the counter, she took it and looked both sides to reach for its owner, but no one claimed it. Maybe was Lumiere’s. The library was unusually empty at that hour, so a look at the newspaper could evade her a minute or two from her routine.

Belle unfolded the newspaper to find a really interesting article on its cover. “A natural gas accident ends with the lives of John and Mary Darling” and the subheading was even more explanatory: “The police informed that the couple died in their sleep, now the heirs of the Darling Empire, Wendy, George and Michael Darling, organize an auction to pay some of the debts their parents left behind.”

Once she read it, Belle, Rushed to take her phone out of her skirt pocked and opened Gold’s mail again. Without paying attention to the words in it she clicked the Url at the end to see the announcement of the Darling’s auction taking place in Tavern on the green, Manhattan, New York. If Mr. Darling was known for something apart his billionaire businesses was for his art collection. Sure it was going to be the event of the year for art collectors and students. And she had the opportunity to go! Well, if she swallowed up her pride and followed Mr. Gold’s nothing-has-happened- game. She wanted to go so bad.

And suddenly he phone vibrated again, this time with Mr. Gold name on the screen.

“Witchcraft” She murmured. And she still waited a few seconds before picking that call; she took a deep breath and summoned all her patience.

“Good evening, Mr.Gold” She greeted him.

“Good evening, Miss French” His voice sounded from the other side, so calm and studied as always, that tone that wade Belle feel a tickle. What was that?

“I saw you mail.” She rushed to speak.

“I know” He replied.

“You know?” She asked confused by those words.

“Miss French, I may not be that much into technology, but I sure know how to set up mi account so it informs me when someone opens what I send.” He answered.

«Well, fuck.» Belle thought. Her eyes glanced between the dogs, the newspaper and the counter looking for an excuse.

“Well…I was investigating the news and the announcement you sent me” saved by her imagination. “And, indeed, it is horrible what happened to the Darlings, but, this event could be a great opportunity.”

“It will be.” He said. “There are some objects I am really interested in; others will remain secret to the public until the auction.”

Belle greeted the costumers that entered the library and walked directly to the chairs prepared for the book presentation, while she listened to Mr. Gold’s words.

“If you want me to take a look to those objects, send me the photos and I can email you back, or, or, or call you if you prefer it.” That last part sounded so personal that even was embarrassing.

“Aren’t you coming to Storybrooke this weekend?”

Belle pressed her palm on her forehead, he had totally forgotten.

“No, I can’t, I have an exam on Monday, I have to stay.”

For a moment, Mr. Gold remained silent and Belle thought that maybe her decision bothered him, he was her boss, but then his voice reappeared as deep as it came.

“I will send you the pictures, then.”

* * *

 

Saturday midday and Gabriel Gold had more activity going on his phone than in his shop. He had sent his antique and art assessor the pictures of what he was interested in, and she had replied him with her opinions. She was really excited and he could see that on her writing, the passion, the interest. She was like a little girl wanting to go to Disneyland, but in more nerdy way. Then, when he was about to close for lunch, the door opened for the first time in the whole day. Sadly it wasn’t a costumer.

“What can I do for you, Miss French.”

Maurice entered the shop with his face red in anger and his fist so tight his skin turned white.

“I heard some news; I’m here to ask for you services as a lawyer.” Every word was filled in anger and disgust.

Gold faked a surprised face with both hands on the glass counter.

“That’s new”

“The Viridis are going to get out of jail” Maurice interrupted Gold’s words.

The town monster took his cane and woke from behind the counter to have a proper conversation with Mr. French. His both hands on the golden handler when he stopped before Belle’s father, his stoic face trying to retain his anger.

“Did Mrs. Mills go to tell you?”

“She want’s Belle to testify!” he shouted. “And gold I want them to die in their dusty cells without seeing each other ever again.”

Mr. Gold tightened his hands around the cane handler, he felt the same about Zelena, for him, she had died too fast. His brained thought a million ways to kill her after his son’s death, but it was nonsense, she was dead. At the end of the day, that wouldn’t have bring Bealfire back, at the end of the day Henry was still fatherless.

“I want you to guarantee me that that’s not going to happen, that mi daughter won’t take a step into a court to tell a judge how she watched her mother die”

He knew he couldn’t make that promise.

“I can do whatever is in my hands to delay that hearing.” He replied.

“No!” Maurice clamied. “I wan’t Belle to stay out of it.”

Gabriel took a deep breath; maybe he could persuade the judge so Maurice would be enough.

“I’ll take your case, Mr. French. But I can’t assure anything. Mrs. Mills is a clever lawyer and she will seek to your daughter’s testimony to claim a trauma or missed information.”

 

* * *

 

Belle was laying on the couch, notes, papers and books everywhere; wearing her pajama and her long hair in a high bun. Lady asleep under the notes of units three, four and five and Pongo sunbathing near the window. It was a calm Sunday afternoon, but the her phone vibrated. An email, from Gold.

_Miss. French:_

_New objects from next month’s auction have become public._

_Here are some of them._

And several photos from the so-called new objects. She was dying to ask why he wasn’t that interested in the De Villaneuve house, sure there were real treasures inside them. Instantly she realized that, since he had mailed her the Darlings auction, the De Villaneuve’s conversation was left aside. She took a look to Elizabeth’s diary, next to one of her books and she felt so embarrassed that her attention turned away so easily.

So she pressed the Reply icon to write a mail to her boss.

_Mr. Gold:_

_This auction represents a great opportunity to rescue some interesting objects, but I also believe that we are underestimating De Villaneuve’s home, in both artistic and architectonical ways._

Gold was home too, walking up and down the living room, trying to get rid of the cane, resting more weight on his injured leg with every step. Eventually he got in the kitchen for refreshment. He took the apple juice from the fridge, and filled a glass. Just when he was about to drink it, he saw a suspicious mount of dirt in the middle of his green back garden. He left the glass and went out to find a considerable big hole.

He spit some cursed words and looked for that stupid stray dog, the one that had a special interest in his garden.

“One day I’m going to get you, tramp.” He promised to himself.

He headed back to the house when a metallic tinkling came from his trousers’ pocket. He took his phone and read Belle’s email. That house again, he would burn the house down just to end up that stupid conversation. She was curious and he couldn’t say a thing. On the other hand, maybe a glimpse of that curiosity well fed could end the conversation. Anyway, he was close not to break, but to explode, Collete’s deal. What about breaking a few more?

Back inside his home, he went directly to the living room and sat on the sofa. His eyes fixed on the girl’s email and his brain considering a million options. But the truth is that he was tired and a more unconcerned part of his brain took the lead and wrote a reply.

_If you have access to that property, it will be under my conditions._

Belle jumped of excitement when she read the reply from Mr. Gold, causing a waterfall of notes and papers. But that wasn’t important at that moment. Maybe he felt as a sensible person that day and Belle was lucky to take a chance.

_What conditions?_

Gabriel let his back sink on the sofa, he could imagine those beautiful shining blue eye full of energy and excitement. Two naïve eyes. The bast mayority of times, people used to make deals with him to hide secrets, information to protect others or themselves. Maybe  not all secrets were made to remain silent forever. He pressed the ‘reply’ icon.

_We’ll go one day and only one day, you’ll look only in the rooms I say and it will only be the two of us, I don’t want any third party involved in this. Do we have a deal, Miss French?_

Belle Walked around the room biting her nails anxious. Those were a lot of conditions. Gabriel Gold was famous because of his deals and how he managed to take advantage from his clients. But there, in those words, Belle couldn’t help to think that he was trying not only to protect himself, but she as well. She shared a very concerned look with Pongo; he looked at her as he knew it wasn’t a good idea. But adventures and discoveries often happen because of foolish ideas.

_We have a deal, Mr. Gold._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love your comments! I love to know your opinions and discuss your theories!


	13. White house with blue roofs.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle has a problem with her car ,while her dad and Gold have other issues to address.  
> A visit to the white house with blue roofs at the end of the dusty path.....and....why is that dog causing so much trouble?

8.5 a disgusting 8.5, while for every other person that would be a good grade, even a wonderful one; for her, for someone who had earned a scholarship to study two degrees, it was crap. She knew that taking more subjects and the internship hours this semester would affect her grades. “I can do more” she muttered. “I have to go and see the exam.” With the sight set at that embarrassment on the online campus, that couldn’t be.

Lady leaned her two front paws on her human’s knee and raised her nose to her cheek. Belle caressed her ears, without taking her eyes off the laptop screen. Lady licked her cheek to catch her attention. Belle blinked and looked at her cocker spaniel, she forced a smile and hugged her. “You are like a baby” she said as she petted her “a hairy baby.” A jealous Dalmatian reached both ladies and patted her human’s leg to get his part of cuddles. “oh! And here comes the other one!” She said with her voice filled with love. “My other less-hairy baby.”

“I know you two are bored but, I have an appointment with Professor Thatch. I need to see my exam, then we will go home, ok?” she kissed the two dog heads and got up from the sofa to take a warm shower. The exam week almost ended up with her back and neck all twisted because of stress. She really wanted to get home, have a stroll on the beach and eat a giant hamburger at Granny’s with double cheese and pickles and spicy french fries. After the shower, she got dressed, closed her tiny suitcase for the weekend and left it near the front door, next to the bag of toys and the leashes for both dogs. She was headed to a relaxing weekend, because after that week working for Gold was indeed like taking two days off. And she was going to visit the white house with blue roofs! She hadn’t spoken with Gold again since last Sunday, but it was a deal, the town monster was known for never breaking a deal.

“I’ll be back soon, you two,” She pointed at her dogs. Pongo was lying on the couch and Lady sat with her wagging short tail making her slightly move her butt too. “behave.”

Belle went to the university and parked in the parking meant for the teachers and the university staff. She would be there just for an hour or even less, it didn’t mind where she parked. She walked to the first building next to the parking and went to the second floor.

On the door she walked to, there was a name in a golden plate: Prof. Milo James Thatch.

* * *

 

 

Maurice kneeled by his bed and pulled out a card box with a thin layer of dust. He opened it to make sure there was everything he needed to give to Gold. And there it was, the video from the security cameras from that day, the last will and testament from Colette and her parents, all the legal papers that his wife signed when her parents died, everything. He took the box and went to Mr. Gold’s pawnshop. Gabriel Gold told him they needed everything he collected for the trial that condemned the Viridis to a life sentence for the charge of first degree murder. Because, even the Viridis tried to defend before the jury, that they did not intend to kill Colette, they in fact brought a charged gun.

Mr. Gold was talking to a costumer when Maurice got inside the shop. He looked at his assessor’s father when he heard the bell; he finished the conversation with the costumer and received the payment for an antique jar. Maurice stayed silent until the costumer left the shop.

“Good Morning, Mr.French.” Gold greeted him.

Maurice walked fast and left the box in the glass counter. “Here it is, everything.” He skipped the polite greetings. Gold opened the box and to the video and looked inside to find three folders.

“Yes, all except the page they have.”

Maurice squeezed his hands into fists and his jaw. He knew exactly what he was talking about. The ultimate proof, that could keep those two in jail. A proof that disappeared before the first trial, after the murder, but it was so obvious…”Let’s work with what we have here, it was enough the first time, it will be enough this time too.” Gold talked to himself.

“And about my daughter?”

Gold pressed his lips, he could not promise that. Cora was an ingenious woman and a cheater too. She won’t stop until she had Belle before a judge testifying about her mother’s death. Cora may be an incredibly good lawyer, but Gabriel Gold was the best one.

“I’ll do whatever is in my hand to maintain Belle out of this ‘subject’”

Belle’s father nodded still with visible worry on his face. But the tension of the moment broke when the tinkling of Maurice’s phone. He pulled it out of his pocket without saying any word and answered the call.

“Belle? Hello, sweetheart.”

“Hi, dad ehm… I need your help.” Her voice sounded nervous and on the verge of the tears.

“Belle? What’s wrong?” Maurice’s voice sounded worried enough to attract Gold’s attention.

Belle blinked fast to avoid the tears, her hands were shaking, her voice was trembling. She turned around her toes in that parking. “The University’s truck took my car.”

Maurice he passed a hand through his face while he took a deep breath and the looked at his feet trying to with the words. “Your car.” He repeated.

“Yes and the car deposit is closed until Monday morning.” She can’t help but to start crying.

“Hey, hey, sweetheart. Don’t you cry for that.”

“I’m not crying for about that, dad.” She cried. “I had a reunion with a professor to see an exam, and he told me that he was ‘surprisingly disappointed’ with my answers.” She cried “surprisingly disappointed! 1.5 points less because I didn’t develop the subject of the dissertation to what he expected.”

Maurice shook his head and blinked slowly.

“It’s ok; Belle if its only 1.5 less that means you got an 8.5 that is a really good grade.” He sighted and took a glance at Gold who seemed nearly interested in that conversation. “Go home; I’ll be there to pick you up in a couple hours.”

He ended the call and shook his head again, a very characteristic parent-move.

“Gold, I need to go and pick up my daughter; we’ll have to postpone this conversation for other day.”

* * *

 

During the trip from Boston to Storybrooke, Belle, was still drying her tears and trying to control her ridiculous hiccup. Her dad looked at her from the corner if his eye while driving. Her suitcase and the two dogs where in the back of the “game of thorns” van, sleeping next to each other, with pongo spooning little Lady.

“Belle, dear don’t be sad about a grade” her father said. “It’s not worth it”

“I’m not ‘sad’, dad” she answered in anger. “I’m ashamed! I should have done it better. The connections were there!” She cried. “I don’t know how I didn’t see them”

“Maybe, because you are very busy lately.” He assumed. “Do you even have time to sleep, Belle? What’s the meaning of all this pressure and stress?”

Belle leaned her back against the seat with a sight, she had explained that so many times to her dad, that she was tired of exposing her plan again and again.

“Next year I must present not one, but two dissertations. Both require most of my time and effort. I must investigate, prove my thesis and write it in shape of a hundred-page dissertation, each one of them, of course. And then I may present them before an examining board, which, with two twenty minute presentations will grade my efforts and work from three whole academic years.” Her tone slightly hardened at the end of her speech.

“And you can’t take no other subject.” Maurice said in a tone that made his daughter statement sound a bit too much.

“Well, the plan it is not to stay another year in Boston, dad.” She remembered him. “Even though mom and you were raising money for my education, the University is very expensive.” She rested her forehead on the window. “And Dean Merlin said it was possible.”

Maurice knit his brows, his eyes still on the road. He recalled other word on Dean Angus Merlin’s lips.

“I thought he said really complicated, but not impossible.”

“That implies the existence of possibility.” Belle answered looking through the car window.

Within less than an hour they entered Storybrooke. The sign of ‘welcome to Storybrooke’ on the side of the road had an instant relaxing effect on Belle. She was home. Maurice parked tha van on front of the florist and home of the French family.

“It’s truly late.” Belle said as she went off her dad’s van. “I should directly go to Gold’s shop.”

Her dad approached the side door and opened it to take his daughter’s suitcase. The two dos, which were awake since he parked, waited patiently for Maurice to take what he needed.

“Gold bought a bouquet of flowers before I left, you know what that means.” She said. “And his car isn’t parked anywhere near the shop, so … I think we have time to eat together.”

Belle smiled, a bit more relaxed, after letting it all out and walk towards her dad to help him. She was indeed close when a grey shade of fur crossed the street in front of the van. And Lady couldn’t resist it. The fluffy short-legged cocker spaniel jumped off the vehicle and ran after the grey street dog. Belle reacted almost instantly and followed her dog, while Maurice stayed with the other one to avoid other escape. Fortunately, Lady had her leash attached to her harness and that allowed Belle to catch her.

“Lady!” She shouted a thousand times, but her dog was more interested in barking to that street dog. Finally she had to pick her up to return home. “When are they going to catch that dog?” she asked her father.

“Well… he is a difficult one.” He answered. “Maybe he is not meant to be in a human family, he is a free spirit.”

“That free spirit is too reckless, what if he gets run over?” She answered yet affected of what just happened.

“The shelter would take care of him, now let’s get inside and have lunch.” Maurice ended the conversation.

* * *

 

Gold got in the car, outside the cemetery. That day’s visit brought him a funny feeling, just as Dr. Hopper predicted. “I know you took the habit of visiting your son’s grave every Saturday.” He said in one of his first sessions. “It is good to remember him, Gold, but eventually you’ll realize that your son isn’t there. Baelfire will live in your heart and in the hearts of everyone who knew him, forever.” Of course Dr. Hopper also recommended reducing the visits only when he felt ready for it. Perhaps he was starting to consider it.

That day he told his boy the huge effort that Henry was making to catch up with his classmates, that Emma started attending to Dr. Hoppers sessions once or twice a week because Henry asked her to do it and, without planning on doing it, he talked about Belle: who she was, why he was working for him, how he loathed her tenacity and curiosity. She almost spent a whole hour talking to his son and at the end of it he just stood at his grave. ‘it’s just a stone’ his mind reminded him all of a sudden.

Back in the car, he twisted the key to hear the motor roar. He drove back, but instead of taking food from Granny’s and go back to the shop, he went to the police station. He parked and grabbed the Granny’s paper bag with the food. The police station was as empty as mostly every day. Emma Nolan-Swan was the town sheriff and her father, David Nolan was her assistant.

It all stays in the family.

Gold never cared if Emma wanted to use his son’s last name or not. Maybe Emma Nolan-Swan-Gold was too long for her. But for Henry it was different, his grandson’s complete name was Henry Daniel Gold Nolan-swan. Gold recalled the day when Bealfire and Emma revealed their son’s name. It was the day of the baby shower and Gold was there noticeably uncomfortable, not even on hundred percent sure of his son’s choice to have that baby.

There was a huge cheerful racket when they announced it was going to be a boy, and then, when Emma said the name out loud, Regina Mills, the current Mayor of Storybrooke ran and hugged the mother to be. The crowd clapped and left out tender exclamations. Later, when David Nolan, his son and himself where out smoking a cigar as part of the celebration, Bealfire explained him why ‘Daniel’. Emma and Regina didn’t start off as “friends” in High school but eventually they left they differences aside and became good friends. Before Emma knew she was pregnant, Regina was dating a boy named Daniel, who was the stable boy of Storybrooke’s horse riding club, the one that Regina attended to. A good boy who dreamed about studying veterinary science and working with animals, but it clearly wasn’t enough for Cora Mills, Regina’s mother, who forbidden her daughter to meet with her stable boy boyfriend. Gabriel never spoke with Bae about the suspicious death of the young lad. But it was in fact questionable that, firstly, a horse escaped the club in the middle of the night, secondly, that the horse ended up in the exact area of the woods where Daniel found his death in hands of his only allergy: bees. Murder was a serious accusation of that Gabriel gold would never accuse Cora Mills without all the evidence.

When Gold entered the Police station he saw Emma talking to the phone, trying to control her temper while, other to phones were ringing. He greeted her with a hand movement and she smiled back at him. She hung up the phone and did as no others were ringing. “Gabriel! What a surprise!”

He lifted his hand with the paper bag. “Care for a burger?”

Emma opened her eyes wide and nodded. “Yes, please. But let’s get out of here.”

They left the Police Station and sat on a bench outside, with great views of the park and the cute little lake with ducks. Gabriel gave his daughter in law her lunch an opened his. ”It seems like you have a lot of work today.” He said. She made a tired smile before she bit the burger.

“Believe it or not it is all because of a dog.” She answered. “That grey street dog that goes up and down Main Street.”

“And digs holes in my yard.” Gabriel completed that definition. “I know him, it’s irritating.”

Emma took a deep breath while she nodded. “Yes, and the animal shelter don’t want to cooperate. They say that they tried catching him before, but he runs away. So they are sure that it is an abused dog afraid of humans.”

Afraid? Gabriel Gold was so fed up of that dog.

“I think that what happens is that they don’t want to work.” He answered.

After the relaxing lunch with his daughter in law, Gold went back to the shop. He parked behind and walked to the front door. He saw, on the other side of the road and near granny’s that the Game on thorns van was back. He checked the time with his watch; it was almost time to open the shop. He reached the keys in his pocket and opened the door.

His shop seemed so dark and sad from the inside. Antique objects exposed for the clients. Objects which last owners where dead, or they were not of use to anybody, anymore. He always felt like he belonged there, that sensation of fitting was now turned into a dark cave of loneliness and oblivion.

Suddenly the bell on top of the door tinkled, Gold turn around to face his assistant entering the shop in a halo of light. Her long hair picked up in a tall ponytail, her blue eyes wide open with a polite smile following them.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Gold.”

He blinked fast and repaired his usual pose. With both hands of his cane he nodded once to the greeting of his assessor. “Good afternoon, Miss French.” He said while his mind thanked her for entering at the right moment to rescue him from those dark thoughts.

“Are you all right, Mr. Gold?” he took a step towards him; there was something on his face that worried Belle. Even though Gold wasn’t her favorite person, he was in fact human, with emotions.

He nodded fast to hide that crack on his armor. “I am.” He answered and next, he turned around again to start walking to the back shop. But then, again, Belle’s voice sounded.

“Aren’t we going?” she asked pointing the front door with her thumb over her shoulder.

Gold turned his face to see her, with an eyebrow raised in an expression of confusion. “Going where?”

Belle changed the weight of her body from a foot to the other and relocated her big brown purse on her shoulder. “We were going to the white house with blue roofs; we have a deal, Gold.” She reminded him.

Gold tighten his free fist. Oh, yes, that deal. He looked down at his feet to reorganize his thoughts in between all the alarms set inside his brain that yelled him not to do it. “Yes, let me get the keys.” Gold saw his assessors smile before going to the back shop to take that house’s keys.

The trip by car lasted a few minutes, but necessary for a person that needed a cane to walk. They remained silent the whole trip. It was the second time that Belle got in that car. It smelled like flowers and…french fries? All mixed up with Mr. Gold’s elegant perfume and a pinch of cigarettes. Aside from the French fries smell, the remaining combination smelled quite well. At least for Belle’s taste. The white house with blue roofs, more like a mansion, appeared at the end of the dusty path, on the verge of a cliff before the east end of the beach.

When they got off the car, Belle, took an instant to admire the architecture of the building. It was a repainted antique building that generated a beautiful image in contrast with the maritime background. Gold approached the mansion double front door the only element not repainted, of dark wood with golden round hangers and an also golden lock in shape of a face with an open mouth where the key belonged. When Gold twisted the key for the first time, the metallic sound picked Belle’s attention and she walked towards the entrance.

The door creaked when Gold pushed it. He entered and Belle went behind him. It was dark and dusty and the smell of humidity and closure hit her nose so baldly she had to cover it with both hands. Meanwhile, Gold walked to a small painting next to the door and took it down to open a small fuse box. She heard him pushing some buttons and the he hit the hall switch. Three medium candelabra hanging lamps shined from the ceiling revealing a round hall with rep paper walls, dusty black marble floor and right in front of the main door a magnificent marble straiway with white handrails and black steps covered with a red carpet. Belle let her arms go down due to astonishment.

Gold closed the fusil box and replaced the painting.

“It’s like time traveling back to the Regency Era” she exhaled in a sigh of astonishment. Gold looked at her, her emotion was contagious and for a second he wasn’t worried anymore, he felt the strange urge to show her the entire mansion, but no, that couldn’t be.

Belle approached the stair way and there she realized both corridors, one on each side of the room. Gold followed her and let her wander around the room a bit more before approaching the beginning of the left corridor. “This way, Miss French.”

She giggled as she walked into the corridor, looking up, down, left, right, in all directions.

“I can imagine a Storybrooke version of Mr. Darcy living in this house.” She said.

Mr. Darcy? Gabriel Gold couldn’t help to bring up a half smile. He didn`t know his employee was that romantic. Suddenly she turned to him with those big blue eyes shining like never before.

“What are we going to explore first?” she asked as if that was a child’s game.

Gold tried to hide his smiled and cleared out his throat before answering.

“There’s the ball room, the drawing room and the library.” He forced an impassible tone to his voice. “Where would you like to start?”

But Belle had already made her mind when Gold said the magic word ‘library’. After her mother’s death, no one cared to maintain the library open, not that before Colette’s death there were many customers, but her mother never gave up. She loved books and that devotion passed on to her daughter. Belle made the biggest smile Gold he had ever seen on her face.

“The library, please.” She answered.

It was almost ridiculous; the brave and tough Belle French was behaving like a little girl in an attraction park. “This way, then.” He pointed out with a graceful gesture of his arm to the East wing. She nodded and followed him. The smell of dust and humidity intensified as they went deep into the East wing of the mansion. The floor and the walls were incredibly dusty, but even so a cleaner color, there where imposing paintings were hung along ago, was still visible.

“Where are the paintings?” She spoke again.

“The last generation of the family took them when they move out.” He answered fast, without looking at her. A truly, trained answer. There was no `last´ generation according to the town records. The De Villeneuves disappeared all of a sudden. POOF! And they were gone. Belle half-closed her eyes, evaluating if it was pertinent to insist. Gold already let her in; maybe, to pressure him would end with all she had won. So, instead, she took a deep breath and followed him in silence.

The corridor ended upon a tall double door made of dark wood, or it could be just dirty, with two vine stern golden hangers. Gabriel took a step forward and pushed with all his weight to open only one door. The door creak and the hinges squeaked in a phantasmagorical cry. Belle followed her boss inside the room. Not a room, the true paradise was inside that room. A space comparable to the library where she worked in Boston, with the entire walls covered in books. A two level place with spiral stairs to get to a more protruding shelf that worked as a second floor. And, on the wall facing the beach, the gigantic windows that went from near the floor up to the ceiling.

If her that were there, he would probably tell her to close her mouth before any bug gets in. But, it was too much. She walked to the center of the room, and on her open mouth, yet not believing what her eyes where seeing. She spun around her ankles and the looked up to the ceiling. Oh, the ceiling! It was a gothic inspired painted ceiling what her eyes found. A dark blue sky full of stars, but no any decorative stars; Belle recognized the constellations of Storybrooke’s night sky straight away.

Gold observed his assessor’s moves from where he was. It was delightful to see her enjoy that room. And before he could even noticed, his lips drew a tender smile on his face; the first after a long time.

“This is amazing!” She shouted with pure joy, not paying attention to her boss’ expression. The she rushed to one of the spiral stairs. Gold blinked fast to awake from his lethargy and approached her.

“Be careful, Miss French I wouldn’t like to call an ambulance.”

Belle leaned a foot on the first step ad it didn’t creak, that attracted her attention to the stage of the wood. Sure it was dusty and in need of a dose of varnish, but it wasn’t as old as she expected. That was suspicious. Following the town’s records, that mansion should be abandoned since 1945. She went up the next step and heard nothing. “I think it is pretty safe.” She replied Gold with a victory smile on her face.

Gold watched her go step by step until she reached the second floor, and then he looked away. It wasn’t the best day for her to wear a skirt. He forced his eyes and brain to look anywhere else, to maintain that image far from his mind. Meanwhile, Belle, was having the time of her live, there were all the books she could ever desired to have. Encyclopedias, atlas, research essays, philosophers, scientists and, of course, novels! The complete collections of great writers: Charles Dickens, Robert Luis Stevenson, Cervantes, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allan Poe, even the complete collection of Shakespeare’s works! Oh…incomplete, Belle reminded herself, there was no Hamlet in there. Well, it wasn’t going to be that perfect.

“We don’t have much time to wander around, Miss French.” Gold reminded her.

‘Party pooper’ she mentally insulted him. “But are we going to leave all this here?” She whined, with both hands on the wooden railing.

Gold thanked he was away enough to see his assessor’s outfit just from outside. “We can’t take all of them; it won’t fit in the car.” Was that a joke? That caught Belle off-guard, she didn’t know how to respond at first. It was then, when Gabriel Gold realized he was smiling, not an ironic side smile as he used to, but a true one. He panicked and pushed himself back to his stoic, almost angry face expression. “We should keep going.” He announced. To what Belle just nodded and went down the stairs to meet him.

Next stop the ball room. A round place with a brighter wallpaper and, light brown and ochre marble for the floor. From the walls emerge twelve decorative column that give the illusion of supporting the gorgeous dome painted as a cloudy sky with angels and mythology creatures. There was a Pegasus, a gryphon and fairies. In the middle of the room and leaning on the floor there ad a gigantic golden candelabra, covered with a thick cloth to maintain it save. Again, one side of the room was just windows that led to a terrace with stairs that went down to the beach. That made the sun the only source of light for that room. And the only furniture there was a semi concert grand piano, the magnificent instrument varnished in black, but sadly, as everything there, covered in dust.

“This place is enormous.” Sighted Belle turning around her ankles. “Where there balls in Storybrooke?”

Gold looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sorry I haven’t lived here that much time.” That was right, she reminded herself, Gold wasn’t born and raised in Storybrooke; he moved in from… somewhere. He was definitely from Scotland, his accent betray him. But she didn’t recall hearing his son using that same accent; his was definitely from the US.

“I mean, why have a ballroom if not?” She retook the conversation. “I’ve never been to one, but it sure is an entertaining event.”

Gold walked towards the piano and passed a finger upon the dusty cover to evaluate the state of that instrument.

“Where are we now?” His assessor spoke again.

“We are in the east wing of the mansion.” He answered with a thoughtful sigh. It was truly a wasted of furniture and art. That mansion was filled with genuine treasure.

“What’s on the west wind?”

Those words made Gold froze at one, he made the mistake of speaking too much and he had to fix it.

“Nothing it is used as storage rooms in its majority.” He tried to remain calm.

“Can we go and take a look?”

“No!” he answered right away. Belle stepped back impressed by that reaction and raised an eyebrow. “It is dangerous, Miss French.” He tried to explain. “The house is not as firm as it used to be.”

Belle opened her moth to reply but, again, she thought that maybe pushing the limits too hard would end up with Mr. Gold taking away all she had achieved. As much as she wanted to see the whole mansion, she would have to wait to have a better relationship with her boss. Trust that is the key, trust. She repeated herself.

“Should we keep going, then?” Gold asked. “We still had the drawing room.”

Belle took a last glance to the ballroom, tho dance there would be a real pleasure. But they had to go. “Yes” she answered.

The drawing room wasn’t that far from de ballroom and was significantly smaller than the other two rooms they already visited. It was a rectangular space with two sofas facing each other on a Persian carpet and on the left wall a white marble fireplace in form of two mermaids supporting a bunch of fish and fruits. On the walls, the same contrast of dust there were paintings hung and a tiny tea table near the fire place with five little frames. Belle walked around the room looking everywhere trying to reach every detail, while Gold went to the antique cocktail cabinet. Belle walked to the tiny table with picture frames with black and white pictures. They could be sample photos, but when Belle leaned her eyes on the picture of the ballerina, she knew that one was a real photo. The strange sensation that she knew that person invade her, She took the frame in her hands to see it from a closer perspective. The woman in the photo was someone she knew.

“There’s nothing here worth the effort.” Gold said still focusing his eyes on her liquor bottles.

Without thinking about it twice, Belle put the framed picture into her purse before Gold turned around from his position.

“What about the other rooms, the library, the ballroom.” She tried to act normal with both hands on her purse’s strings. “The books, the furniture, the candelabra! That is incredible, sure we could find someone interested.”

Gold closed the two tiny doors of the cocktail cabinet and shook his head. “Too big, too expensive, maybe not interested in that decoration anymore” He said. “That is a small market.”

Belle presses her lips and leaned her head to one side in a thoughtful look; she understood that point of view. “But it is not impossible.” She argued. Those words made her boss smile.

“You never give up, don’t you?” He asked.

Belle smiled nervously, the framed picture inside her purse felt like burning.

“Not while I’m alive.” She answered.

Gold took a look around the room, and then to his watch. Belle felt her heart hitting against her ribs, she knew she was doing something wrong, but Gold wouldn’t let her any other way.

“Our visit has finished, Miss French.” Mr. Gold said to what Belle forced a bother expression. ”Don’t give me that look, you knew our deal had this conditions. I’ll take you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to know your opinions!


	14. Bella Notte

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> oh this is the night  
> it's a beautiful night  
> and we call it Bella Notte....

Gold left Belle at the front of the florist in time for dinner. But when Belle got home her dad wasn’t there, every light was off. She heard the tinkling sound of eight paws approaching her. Belle switched on the hall’s light and took her phone from her purse to see the time, it was nearly dinner time. She went to her room, followed by her two dogs. She felt her purse on her bed, pongo and Lady jumped on too. The Dalmatian laid down with his head on the pillow, but the cocker spaniel entertained herself sniffing her human’s purse. Belle marked her father’s number and phoned him, as soon as she pressed the green button his father’s phone sounded from the living room. She sighted and shook her head; her father was too distracted with his phone.

She hung up the call and left the phone on the bed too and went to take her purse. She caressed Lady’s ears and kissed her forehead. Then she grabbed her purse and took out the black and white photo of that ballerina that looked so familiar to her. There it was, between her hands, the image of that young girl in the _Pebché_ pose. Her dark hair perfectly upswept in a bun with a perfectly tied dark ribbon, her face looking up, her eyes closed in such a focused expression.

Belle couldn’t concentrate on that, the fact that she had stolen that photo was the only thing she could think about. She stole it! She committed a crime! And why? Because some old ballerina in a photo felt familiar to her? Her hands were trembling; she should go back to Mr. Gold’s shop and tell him. What? No! He would fire her and she needed to complete the internship hours that semester. On the other hand Gold hadn’t notice the absence of that photo, maybe she could just live it anywhere in the shop the next day and deny the crime for the rest of her days.

“Belle, sweetheart?” Sounded her father’s voice and she quickly hid the framed photo inside her purse again. “Are you home?” her father asked out loud.

“Here, in my room!” She answered and nervously acted as she was reorganizing the clothes inside her suitcase. She poured out the content of her suitcase on her bed, more precisely over the cocker spaniel that laid there and started to pack it all over again.

“hey” he greeted her.

“hey” she answered.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

She folded the clothes again one by one. “Oh! You know, just tiding up a little bit for tomorrow.”

Maurice nodded silently and crossed his arms on his chest. “Yes, about that, Belle.” He began. Belle picked up her blue skirt from Lady’s head and looked at her father. “You know I´m seen someone.”

Belle stopped was she was doing at the moment; she threw the skirt in the suitcase and jumped to hug her father. Maurice was caught by surprise but immediately smiled. “I know, dad. And I’m very happy for you.” Her dad felt how the pressure on his chest was released to the air. It was the first time he let her heart drove him into a romantic relationship after Colette’s death and he was so concerned about what could possibly his daughter think about it. “And I think that Amanda Lucas is very lucky to be dating you.” Those words made her father blush and laugh.

Belle took step away to look at her father. “I already know, dad. Ruby told me.” Her dad raised an eyebrow with an expression on confusion. “Ruby?”

Belle nodded and smiled. “It seems like you two haven’t been so ‘discreet’ about it.” She laughed when her dad’s cheeks blushed again. “I’m really happy for you two.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Maurice said from the bottom of his heart and kissed his daughters forehead. “By the way, before all this emotional conversation, I was telling you this because I won’t be able to drive you to Boston until Monday morning.”

Belle made an ‘O’ with her lips as a sign that she understood what that meant. ”You have a date.”

“Yes” he answered.

“Okay, no problem.”

 

 

* * *

 

Next morning Belle woke up, had breakfast with her father, took a warm shower and got ready to work with Mr. Gold. She took her leather black purse instead of the one she used the way before. She couldn’t even look at it without feeling guilty. Belle came to the conclusion that she could not leave the photo at the shop that day, it would be too suspicious. She would have to wait a week or two to discreetly, leave it in the back shop. Yes, that was a good plan, or at least as it sounded inside her head.

 

Gabriel Gold took three painful steps to the kitchen counter; less painful that the last time he tried, he must remember. The pain in his leg was constant and annoying, but during the last two weeks he could swear it hurt less. Dr. Hopper would say it is because he was trying to evolve from the pain of Baelfire’s death and appreciating his family and what life was offering him. His son was still alive in his heart and in Emma’s, and Henry was the living proof of Baelfire’s existence. He glanced at his cane, little by little, day by day, he promised himself to never stop until he could walk properly again.

He drank his coffee, took his cane and a wood box with a leather handle on top, that contined something he wanted to fix at the shop, and got out. Got in his car and drove down to Main St.

 

Belle stopped at Granny’s before going to Mr. Golds pawnshop. As soon as she entered she approached the bar to say good morning to her best friend Ruby.

“Good morning, sister.” She greeted her.

“Good morning, Ruby.” Belle answered with a smile. “And I’m actually your niece, now.”

Ruby leaned all her weight on one foot what made her pony tails move in a very silly way. She pressed her red lips and half-closed her eyes. “You would love to have me as an aunt.” She said giving an extra emphasis to the word ‘love’.

“Sure I would.” Belle said in a snicker. Ruby smiled back at her and went to the left side of the counter to pick a take away caffee latte for her best friend. “Here you have, your extra energy for your hours with Rumplestiltskin.” She muttered.

“Don’t call him that, he’s not that bad.” Belle answered and picked her coffee from her friend’s hands, as Ruby made a disbelieve face.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ruby said and almost jumped over de counter to lean a hand on Belle’s forehead. “Are you sick?”

Belle shook her head to get reed of her friend’s hand. “I’m perfectly okay.”

“Your words say otherwise.”

“I am, Ruby.” Belle insisted. “And by the way,” Belle leaned to mutter to her friend’s ear. “I went inside the white house with blue roofs.”

“No way!” she said so loud, some of the early morning clients gazed at them.

“Shhhhh!” Belle replied. “I’ll tell you everything… what about tonight?”

But ruby made a disappointing face and changed the weight of her body to the other foot. “I can’t tonight, Belle, I have a date with Victor.”

“Oh! It-it’s okay.” Belle replied.

“I’m so sorry, Belle.” Ruby apologized again. “This weekend is a complicated one. Ariel and Eric are very busy planning the wedding,” She made a pause and pointed Granny with a head move. “this two have a date.”

Belle nodded fast with amusement. “Incredible, right? Friends their whole lives and now they are dating!”

“I don’t know if it’s incredibly cute or just a bit weird.” Ruby commented looking at her Granny. Belle rolled her eyes while she slightly shook her head. Then her eyes set on the dinner’s clock. “oh! I have to go to work, see you later Ruby.”

Belle drank the coffee latte on her way to Gold’s shop. It was going to be a hard day, while she spoke to Ruby she had forgotten the idea that Gold might know that she stole the photo of that ballerina, and now, the idea of having that conversation with him terrified her.  The “open” sign was there, on the other side of the glass door. Gold was already there. She took the last sip of her coffee to collect all her forces and threw it in the bin before entering the shop.

“Good morning Mr. Gold.” She greeted outloud as soon as she got in the shop and walked through the room, past the curtain to the back shop.

“Good morning Miss French.” He greeted her.

“wow!” she exclaimed when she saw him. Mr. Gold was standing before a dark brown wooden spinning wheel, he was trying to make it work, his right hand making the wheel spin softly. “Where did you get that?”

He gazed at her with a raised eyebrow and a funny mirk on his slips. “It is beautiful. Isn’t it?” He said in a low pitch of his voice, almost a whisper. That made Belle experienced a strangely pleasant tickle down her stomach. She cleared her throat and took two slow steps forward to see better the, magnificence of the object. “It is, indeed” she admitted. “Are you planning on kidnapping a princess and getting her to poke her finger with the needle?” she left out a grin.

Gold couldn’t help but let out a smile show on his lips, that was really funny and the fact that someone apart from Henry felt so confident around him to make a joke consoled his heart. Perhaps he was doing the right thing trying to open up himself to other people.

“Well, what are we going to do today?” Belle asked, she had de urge to lead every conversation so words didn’t lean to the certain subjects that could betray her and make her confess about the photo she stole.

Gabriel’s right hand stopped the wheel and he looked at her back to his serious working expression. He pointed at the working table where there was a laptop and a wood box. “I need you to make a plan for the Darling’s auction, y want an strategy and the objects in order from most to least value; as you said it is going to be the event of the year and there will be many other people interested in the same objects as I am.” Belle nodded as a sign of understanding what her boss was telling her. “And we need to stay up to day with the leaks and new announcements.”

“Yes, Mr. Gold, I understand.” She replied and went directly to take de laptop and sat on the sofa without back cushions that Gold had in the back shop. That was a fascinating task. She opened every newspaper and article related with the event. She classified the articles Gabriel already sent her. It was unbelievable how that family ended up with such an amount of art work. And even a bit suspicious.

After an hour or so of research and strategy, Belle, lifted her eyes from the laptop to see her boss repairing an old clock's mechanism with such a focused expression on his face while he carefully moved the metallic forceps and a small rod. She didn’t know why but that image of him made her smile, he was so peacefully concentrated, he almost seemed happy.

She focused her eyes back to the laptop screen at the same time Gabriel looked at her; the silence inside the room helped them work fast and peacefully. Gold realized that Miss French was, indeed, a good work companion.

They continued working in silence, at some point Belle stood up and took a notebook she politely asked if she could use and a pen. Gold, only had to leave the back shop three times to attend costumers. It was a very quiet Sunday morning. Gabriel Gold closed the clock mechanism door and took a look at his watch and then to his assessor. Belle was up again, with the information of each object they now about the auction in the couch. She was stablishing an order or priority. Gabriel’s lips drew a slight smile; she was so into it that her expression was more like an angry one.

“Miss French.“ He picked her attention. “It’s lunch time, we are done for today.”

Belle turned her face to him as if the words gold said to her were fighting to go through her concentration barrier. That was why she delayed her answer.

“Oh, okay! Yes, ehm…” she spoke and quickly collected the objects in the order she have established. “I’ve established a priority based on the value and the origin of the objects.” Belle left the information on the table and then she turned off the laptop.

Gold took the files of the objects and scanned the order that his assessor. Belle took her purse and coat ready to leave Mr. Gold’s shop. Her mind realizing the afternoon of ice cream and studying she had ahead, alone, well not totally alone, she had Lady and Pongo. Ice cream and books with two dogs while everybody was out having fun, she suddenly felt as if her plan was more like a punishment. And what if her dad’s date end up well? She tried to erase that image from his head. Was that how her life was going to be? Studying while others lived fun lives. She stopped at the front door with an idea inside her foolish head. She looked back at the curtain, then to the front door again. There was a considerable big possibility that she was going to regret it.

“Gold.” Her voice sounded and he immediately raised his gaze from the clock the see his assessor back in the back shop. “Would it be odd if I ask you for going out tonight?”

Those words made his hands froze at that moment as he felt he heard wrong and the words ‘ask’ ‘going out and ‘tonight’ were hallucinations caused by the excess of ours working. But when his eyes reached her, he realized it. His assistant just asked him that. He tried to stay calm as he was asked for going out every day. HA! The last time he went on a proper date was before his son was born. He left the metallic pincers he was using to repair a cuckoo clock on the table and got up, one hand on his cane, to stretch his back.

“Depending on your sense of odd” He said after recovering from the first impression.

“It’s not a date” she rushed moving fast her hands for no reason.

Gabriel nodded silent with his lips pressed and shrugging his shoulders

“Not a date.” He repeated. “Haven’t you a plan with your friends? Or a father-daughter night? I’m sure they will be happy to see you back in town.”

Belle trapped one of her fingers with the other hand and twisted it a bit nervous.

“Well…” she began “Ruby is having a date with Victor. Ariel and Eric are too busy with the wedding plan… you know, all my friends are going on with their own lives. And my dad is going out tonight as well and I don’t want to know with whom.”

“I think Granny is the fortunate” he pointed that additional information with a pompous move of his hand as he was pressing an invisible button.

“lalalalala” Belle put her hands on her ears “Gold! Please! Now I’ll have that image in my mind forever!”

He couldn’t help to laugh. It was strange how fast he began to feel comfortable when she was there. If gold already know that meant that her dad an Amanda Lucas were really sure about it. Belle took a step towards the working table and slightly leaned forward to make eye contact with Mr. Gold.

“You really are as dark as people say.” She joked.

Then Mr. Gold inclined towards the desk with an evil smirk on his lips.

“Darker, dearie, much darker.”

She blushed at the hearing of his accent in that sexy whispering. In a matter of seconds they had created an atmosphere more relaxed without noticing. Belle looked away a bit embarrassed about what just happened, Gabriel Gold noticed that too.

“So, where are you taking me tonight, Miss French?” He asked with a fun smile more in an evil way.

Belle shrugged her shoulders.

“No idea, but I can’t go home till midnight “

Mr. Frowned and moved his head confused  with his arms crossed “midnight?”

“Yes, in case my dad’s date goes well.” Belle clarified with her eyes fixed on her feet.

Gabriel gold shook his head. As interesting as that conversation could be, be image of Maurice French in a romantic context was too much for his imagination.

“Okay, now I’m the one with horrible unforgettable images in my mind.” he complained.

Belle left out a grin enjoying that brief moment of normal conversation with Gabriel Gold.

“You earn it, you started but I win”

He stood up from his chair and made a smirk. Took the cane with one hand and walked around the table to face his assessor.

“Well, as you’ve been out of town, I’ll choose the place.” He offered. “How about Italian?”

Belle raised an eyebrow, the idea of asking Gold out (NOT AS A DATE) seemed more like a joke, but him proposing dinner options was more unbelievable.

“Can I trust you?”

“Well most of the inhabitants in this town would call you crazy if you did so, but, I’m your only way out for tonight’s situation.“ He answered with both hands settled on the cane handle.

Belle smiled a bit uncomfortable, not because of the idea of having dinner with Gold, but because of the feeling of guilty those words caused her.

“Italian will be wonderful.”

Gabriel did a half smile when he heard that delicate tone of her voice.

“8:00, here, be punctual.” He ended the conversation.

* * *

 

Belle went back home and had lunch with her father. She was so happy to see her father thrilled to have a date with the woman he liked, and who knows, maybe that feeling could turn into love. She’ll give anything to see her father happy again. She, likeMaurice, missed her mother more than anything in this world. But Belle was mature enough to know that her father deserved a new chance in love. And who better that with Amanda Lucas?

Maurice spent the afternoon at the florist doing inventory and that’s when Belle used that time to choose what she was going to wear that night. She hadn’t many clothes in her father’s house, but she recalled having one or two dresses she could use, something Ruby gave her before moving to Boston. Belle told her father she was going to have dinner out too, but with her friends. She couldn’t tell him she was going to have dinner with her boss!! Absolutely not! And when 6:30 came her dad was ready to leave while she had just got out from the shower.

She got dressed with a black dress with red flowers, off shoulder and in heart shape in the breast area, fitted around the torso and with a circle skirt that went down to half her thigh. She tied up her hair in a bun with her natural wavy hair. She wore her black lacquer heels and with just a bit of mascara and red lipstick and she was ready. And just in time! As she confirmed with the kitchen clock.

Her father had already left for his date, it was her turn now. She took her small black purse with the necessary and went out to meet Gold at the door of his shop.

There he was, dressed with a spotless three piece black Armani suit, a maroon shirt and a dark maroon tie. Both hands on his cane standing beside his 1980 cadillac, his only presence breathed power and intelligence. Gold looked at her and he had to do the greatest of efforts to keep his mouth closed. She was so beautiful in that dress, not that she wasn’t beautiful every day, but that dress emphasized her beauty. What was he thinking about? He blinked fast to clear his thoughts.

“Good evening, Mr. Gold.” She greeted him when she approached him.

“Good evening, Miss French.” He greeted him back. “you… you look good, tonight.” He managed to say.

Belle smiled a bit shy and even her cheeks blushed.

“Thank you, Mr. Gold.” She answered. “You look good too.”

His lips drew a smirk and then he pointed at his car. “We should get to the restaurant, I made a reservation.”

They both got on the car and Gabriel Gold drove to the port where the more elaborated and and better restaurants were. He parked right in front of the restaurant, the one it use tu be a seafood restaurant, but then changed to a traditional Italian food one. The green sign with gold letters announcing its name: Tony's. The insides of it were decorated with traditional brick walls typical from the Toscana, with colorful flowers and Italian paintings. The tables covered with green, white and red squares cloth and with a candle in the middle. The air smelled as bread, garlic and soft cheese. The hearing of soft music and people chattingmade the perfect combination.

A Waiter lead Gold and Belle to a table for two and left two menús on the table before saying he would be back in a couple minutes.

“Here we are.”

“Yes, here we are” He said too tapped the menu a bit uncomfortable, he felt too exposed. “So, how’s college?”

Belle looked at him from over the menu with a raised eyebrow. “Are we going to start with that subject?”

“What we should talk about in a non-date dinner?”

“How about what we found inside the mansion of horrors?” she said referring to the white house with blue roofs.

“You want to talk about work?” He replied with a fun smile due to the new name his assessor gave to the De Villeneuve mansion.

“Okay, nothing about work or studies…” She said closing the menu and letting it on the table. She pressed her lips in a thoughtful expression. “Uff, it’s easier to think what we would be talking about on a date.” She smiled at that.

He smiled back due mostly to nervousness, “Like what?”

“what?” she reacted as she forgot the subject of the conversation.

“Yes, what would be talking about if this was a date?”

“Maybe” Belle glanced and took a gaze to his cane, don’t go that way!  “Just flirting.” She thought fast but as the words left her mouth her cheeks blushed like tomatoes.

“oh!” He answered and the most uncomfortable of silences appeared between them. They both took the menus again and scanned the pages to avoid the talking.

“so…” both started again. And shut at the same time. She smiled shy and he looked away try to men his emotional armor.

“Sorry, go on.” He said finally.

"And talking to know each other" Belle added to the answer she had started before.

Gold raised an eyebrow and his gaze from de wine menu. 

"I think you know me already, Miss French. And if not, just talk to any of the villagers" he answered.

Well, with his armor up he was a difficult man to talk to; he denied to speak about himself. It was clearly a self-defense reflex, but Belle wasn't going to give up. With a fast look to her menu  and again to him, she mentally chose the best words.

"If I do that I'll only get to know the surface, and if we are going to spend some time working together, maybe we can get to know each other and be..." She raised her elbows with a deep breath. "Friends?"

Gold had the impulse to answer something like: "we aren't working together, you work for me." But with a look in those deep blue eyes those words disappeared from his mind. Was she really different? She seemed different from the rest of the town inhabitants.

"I'm just that, lawyer and business man"

Belle felt like she was hitting her head against a wall, a huge and thick wall. But there was something he didn't mentioned and maybe was her way in. 

"And art collector." She added. 

He smirked and made a gesture with his hand to call the waiter.

"Well, I guess I have other talents too." 

Belle made a triumphal smile and waited quietly while Gold spoke to the waiter ordering a very expensive wine. When the waiter left, she was anxious to continue their conversation.

"And apart from art?"

He looked both sides and made a gesture for her to glance. Belle glanced over the table to hear him whisper.

"I can spin straw into gold."

She recovered her posture; lips tighten and with a 'yeah-and-what-more?' look. He left out a low laugh enjoying her expression. 

"And what about you Miss French?" 

She made a forced smile, so he wasn't the only one uncomfortable when talking about himself.

"Call me Belle, please." She said "Miss French is too formal."

Gold wasn’t sure if he could do that.

“Good evening, have you decided yet?” the waiter interrupted their conversation.

Gold and belle looked at each other, no, they hadn’t decided yet. Belle wasn’t sure about anything at all.

“What about red wine?” Gold asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders and nodded at the same time, she liked red wine, son no problem.

“And can you recommend us anything on the menu?” She asked the waiter. The man nodded with a polite smile and suggested the spaghetti bolognese with truffle and selected meat meatballs

“It sounds delicious to me” She said gazing Mr. Gold.

Then he closed the menu and did a pompous gesture with his hands to say that he left the decision up to her. “Spaghetti it is.”

The waiter took the menus when he left.

“So I read about the Darling’s” She said as she placed the napkin on her thighs.

“I thought we said no talking about work.” Gold answered.

“Yes, but this is very interesting” she began. “The family was originally from Poland, then they moved to Germany and then England.”

“And I assume that information is in fact important for some reason.” Gold said.

“Of course it is!” she exclaimed showing both hands. “This family has been collecting art works for centuries.”

They remained silent when the waiter came to serve the wine.

“You said there were also paintings that they haven’t shown yet.” She kept the conversation, to what gold nodded and then took a sip of wine. “We could be talking about really antique and valuable paintings.”

Gold raised both eyebrows and left the glass of wine on the table.

“But that also can be dangerous.” Belle took the glass of wine and took a sip. “European antique paintings from before 1945…”

“Sounds like stolen paintings from the Nazis.” Gold completed the sentence. Belle nodded.

“We’ll have to be very careful of that.”

Finally, the waiter came with the two plates of spaghetti. Belle was the first one to take the fork and the spoon to roll the pasta. As soon as they had both eaten the first full fork, the orchestra formed of a man with an accordion, a woman with a Spanish guitar and two men singer.s The accordion started the rhythm followed by the Spanish guitar. Belle and gold looked at each other without understanding a thing.

_Oh, this is the night, it's a beautiful night_

_And we call it bella notte_

The two men started to sing and attracted the attention of the customers.

_Look at the skies, they have stars in their eyes_

_On this lovely bella notte._

Gold looked at her assessor’s eyes; she was enjoying the song and the spectacle. Her eyes shinned with tenderness. It was a beautiful view, indeed.

_Side by side with your loved one,_

_You'll find enchantment here._

_The night will weave its magic spell,_

_When the one you love is near!_

Belle return her gaze to her dinner companion and smiled so relaxed that she even blushed a bit. “Dinner with music” she said pointing discreet at the band.

Gold smiled back at her and rolled more spaghetti around his fork. “It’s a very entertaining place.”

_Oh, this is the night and the heavens are right_

_On this lovely bella notte!_

It was like being inside a bubble; It was just the tow of them. No worries, no other people’s opinion, no more traumas, just the two of them. The outside world was dark and full of terrors, but inside their magic bubble it smelled like Italian food, the music was formed by giggles and the clinking of glasses.

The dinner was sublime; Belle couldn’t recall any better spaghetti than those. Gold insisted in paying the whole dinner and that made her feel a bit uncomfortable. She almost didn’t want to leave the restaurant; she hadn’t felt so relaxed since she started in the university. When they were out again, Belle hugged herself because of the cold. The thin cardigan she took it wasn’t enough for Storybrooke’s maritime weather.

“Belle.” He said her name for the first time. “Here, take it.” He offered her his coat.

“Thank you, Mr. Gold.” She answered and took it.

“Gabriel.” He corrected her. Belle looked at him with an amazed expression, that was with no doubt, a huge improvement. The sleeves of Gabriel’s coat were too long for her, the shoulders too wide and in general, too big.

She nodded as she hugged herself with his coat. “Thank you, Gabriel.”

She stared at his eyes, he was no monster, he was a difficult man, indeed. But so it was she, she knew what it was to suffer because of the death of a family member, the emptiness, the loneliness. Those events leave a very strong mark in the soul. More like a mark it is like it breaks a bit, his soul was chipped, as it was hers.

“So…”she talked again.

“I’ll take you home.” He said and belle took her phone out of her purse to see the hour.

“It’s not midnight yet.” She replied as he saw it was half past ten. Gabriel made a smirk.

“Don’t you have class tomorrow?” He asked, and she didn’t know why but belle felt a bit offended because of that. Maybe it was too much Belle for a day for her boss.

“No… “She said but she didn’t want to bother him too. “But I should walk the dogs before going to sleep, so… yes I have immediate responsibilities.”

He walked past her using his cane to maintain his balance; she followed him to his car and humming the song from the Italian restaurant. The rode back was extremely quiet, Gabriel focused his eyes on the road and Belle just watched through the window. Gabriel Gold parked his car in front of the florist and insisted on accompanying her to the door, just in case.

“Thank you for the wonderful dinner, Gabriel.” She pronounced his name again. “And for the coat.” She said as she took if off and hand it off to him.

“it is a pleasure.” He answered politely.

She pressed her lips waiting for a bit more of emotion in those words. When she approached the florist’s door she heard the paws of Pongo and Lady. “My dad might have come to take something and left the dogs in the Florist.” Belle said.

Gold raised an eyebrow. ”I think that you father left the dogs there so they won’t disturb.”

“Disturb?”Belle needed one more second to understand it. “Oh, no! They aren’t there! It… it can’t be!”

Gold took a deep breath and put his both hands on the cane. “Still an hour and a half for midnight.”

Belle reached her keys inside her purse. “I’ll walk my dogs until midnight if it’s necessary.” She opened the door and gave the command to the dogs to stay where they were. “I have to take the leashes and….”

But she could not end the sentence; the grey street dog ran across the street barking so loud it could wake the entire town. Lady jumped off to the street to followed that gray dog who didn’t stop running and neither the cocker spaniel.

“Lady!” Belle shouted and run behind the dog, even her heels complicated her task.

“Belle!” Gabriel called her and went after her. Because even though Storybrooke was a small town there was still a bit of traffic at night.

“Lady! Lady, come here!” Belle continued shouting while running down Main Street.

The grey dog crossed one of the side streets of Main Street after a car drove through that same street. Gold saw another car coming and he panicked, Belle didn’t see it. She was faster than him, the car was too close. She was going to cross that street and that car wouldn’t have time to stop. She was too close; he won’t be able to save her.

Two strong arms surrounded her and moved her away from the road just in time. She saw the car driving past her as a stain of color and light. Gabriel let her free of his arms when the danger had passed.

“Are you out of your mind?” He exclaimed and dragged her from her arms. Belle still needed two more seconds to realize what just happened. She could hear Pongo barking from the Florist door. He was the most obedient dog. “Where is Lady?” Then she looked at her savior and panicked again. “Gabriel! Your cane! Where is it?”

And only then he saw he had left his cane several meters ago, at the middle of the street and ran to save her. He was standing on his two feet and the injured one didn’t hurt anymore.


	15. There is a big hunk of world down there with no fence around it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cora knows Gabriel's secret.  
> Gabriel and Maurice have to define their strategy.  
> Belle is an emotional mess.  
> And... someone is new in town!

Gold stayed with her bit longer, with his cane under his hand again and trying to keep up with Belle’s strides. Shouting out loud the cocker spaniel’s name while they walked down the street, where the two dogs disappeared. Gabriel rested part of his weigh again on the cane, in part because of a habit, in part because the disappeared pain could reappear in any moment. At some point Gabriel suggested calling her father or even doctor Hopper, but Belle insisted that sure pongo could find her, that there was no need to wake up neither of them.

But eventually, Pongo started to lose her smell and Belle noticed. “Lady!” Belle shouted again on the verge of tears.

“Belle it’s too dark out here, we should get back and pick up the search tomorrow” He said, and even though Belle knew he was right she refused to admit it. She raised a hand to her mouth to retain the crying sobs.

“I can’t leave her out here alone.” She shook her head. Pongo cried by her side when he heard her crying. He was the best  dog. Pongo sat beside her and leaned his head upon her leg.

Gabriel walked up to her searching for the appropriate words but nothing acceptable came to his mind. It was a bit violent to see her crying, he didn’t know what to do. “I need to find her, Gold” she cried. He was about to correct her but, the fact that her dog was missing it was more important than how she called him. “It’s too late; we should call for help or wait until tomorrow.”

Belle shook her head with her lips pressed and trembling, blinking too often trying to avoid more crying. “I can’t go back home without her.”

So Gabriel convinced her to call Doctor Hopper, who was sleeping, but rushed to meet them the moment he knew what happened. Gold stayed with her until her friend the doctor came, his gaze said it all, confusion because of seeing them together so late, worry because of Belle’s emotional status. Pongo rushed to his previous human the moment he saw him, he jumped with his two front paws on Archie’s legs like a help pledge, as he knew completely what was happening and that his human dad could solve the problem easy and fast.

“Yes, hello, Pongo.” He greeted the dog and then went directly to his friend. “Belle!” they hugged and Belle just couldn’t hold the cry anymore. “Oh, It’s okay, Belle. We’ll find her.” Gold almost felt a jealous pinch. Their relationship was sincere and warm. The way she hugged him sure to have his entire support. He was almost jealous, almost. It made him question himself if he was could ever have something like that with anyone.

“It is dark but we can still look for her for a couple more hours.” The doctor spoke again.

Belle nodded and handed him Pongo’s leash. “He is a bit confused; he lost her track a little while ago”

Hopper held the leash with one hand and with the other he caressed Belle’s arm. “We will look for her together, don’t worry.” Then he turned around. “I’ll take care from here on.” He told Gold. “Your help is very much appreciated but this too much walking will only affect badly to your leg.”

Belle raised her eyes from her shoes to look at Gold, and then to Archie and back to her boss, she felt a little impulse to ask him to stay. But It was because of the situation, the possibility of not seeing Lady ever again and the other hundred catastrophes that could happen. Because of the situation, of course.

Gold inhaled and recovered his intimidating posture and nodded silent. “Thank you for calling me, Gold.” Archie said looking at him with his eyebrows knitted still confused about his presence there, with his friend, that late.

“That dog has the irritating hobby of digging holes in my backyard.” He said, to his words Belle’s eyes lighted up. “I’ll pay all my attention.”

Belle nodded fast. “Thank you.”

“Good night, Doctor Hopper.” And then gazed Belle with her name at the tip of his tongue, but he reacted fast. “Good night Miss French.”

It was a really dark night with very few stars and a waxing crescent moon. Gabriel Gold arrived home in his 1980’s black Cadillac. When he entered the hall he hanged his coat and take look to his quiet home. He gazed to his feet and cane, which he was still using, afraid that the pain could return any moment. But there he was, standing with his two painless legs. He never questioned the explanation Doctor Hopper gave him to his suddenly reappeared pain. It was clearly something psychologic; he didn’t suffer any complications during or after the surgery back in the day, and that was when Bae was a baby.

So he tried something. He leaned the cane upon the wall and raised his eyes to the end of the corridor. Then he took one step with his injured leg. Nothing. There was no pain. He looked at his feet with excitement. Did that mean that he was entirely recovered? Or maybe it was because of that night’s context. His mind made him reconsider the facts. What happened put him in a stressful and shocking context; maybe he was ‘suffering’ the effects of that adrenaline explosion. That could imply that he would feel the pain again in the morning. He looked back at his cane and he felt so ridiculously frightened.

On the other side of the town, Archie Hopper and Belle with the loyal Pongo continued the search using the lanterns on their phones to light up the path that leaded to the toll bridge, also known as the ‘troll’ bridge by the young teens that used that location to go and drink alcohol.

“Lady!” Belle shouted.

“Lady!” Archie followed her. “Belle it’s too late and it’s really dark, we should go back.”

She looked at her friend with concern in her eyes. “But what if she is injured or frightened?”

“She is not around here.” He answered looking around moving his phone to spread the light of his mobile phone. “She has a collar and a microchip; she won’t be mistaken for a street dog.”

“We have to go to the shelter and give them a description and a picture of her.” Belle insisted to what Archie nodded repeatedly and caressed her arms in an attempt to comfort her.

“Of course.” he answered her. “But you are tired and you’ll need your entire attention to find her, let’s go home, Belle.”

She pressed her lips and looked again at the grey stone bridge and back at his friend. “I feel like I’m abandoning her.” Archie rushed to deny those words. “You are not, Belle, do not even think that you are abandoning her.”

Archie finally convinced her to walk back home, she was terribly tired, but she could not even think about going to sleep. Back to Main Street, her eyes looked everywhere just in case Lady found her way home.

“Belle, can I ask you something?” Archie’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Yes, what is it?” she replied.

“What were Mr. Gold and you doing out there that late?” Belle didn’t know how to respond to that. They went out to have dinner but, what type of dinner? Was it about work, or their possible knew-more-about-each-other relationship? That last option sounded so personal and intimate, she felt how her blood rushed to her cheeks lightening the redness the wind had already caused. “Belle?” Archie called her again.

“We went out for dinner.” She answered and rushed to complete that information. “We have a lot of work and I’m learning a lot during this internship.”

Archie looked at her and her reaction and gestures, making his own theories and conclusions. “I’m glad he can help you with that.” He encouraged the continuation of the conversation. “He is trying to be a better man.”

‘Trying to be a better man?’ Belle wasn’t sure if she agreed with that. After her, still, short experience with Gold she already knew there, somewhere deep in his personality, already was a good man. “I find the people of this town more close minded every time I come here.”

Archie tried not to look offended. “Why do you say that?”

Belle tilted her head while she raised her eyebrows.”Mr. Gold is a business man. He’ll always look for his economic benefit. And his profession in a small town is often not the done thing.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “He is not a villain, nor a hero, how the people from these small populations tend to categorize their inhabitants. He cares about his interest and the few people inside his care circle. That, by the rest of the world is called a normal human being.”

“It sounds like you know him well.” Archie considered.

“Seriously, you believe the things people say about him?” she asked her friend. “I’m not trying to defend him, I don’t know him that well, I don’t know a thing about his past, but, the town monster? Rumplestiltskin? That’s is too much, don’t you think?”

“Of course, I don’t see him like the rest of the people in this town, Belle, I’m his therapist.” he answered, he always loved those profound conversations with his friend, she constantly had a fresh and new perspective of many subjects. “But I do think, and I think that I must warn you, that he is in fact a difficult person.”

She glanced at her friend with a raised eyebrow. She didn’t quite understand why Archie had felt that obligation to ‘warn’ her. “fine…?”

“As you too are a complicated person, you can’t deny that, not to me.” Archie kept talking, while Belle looked at him open mouthed. “My office is open, I’m your friend, but I’m a therapist too, if you have anything you want to tell me; I’m here to listen.”

Belle looked away for one second; she knew what his friend was referring too. But she had learned to live with it, the blood didn’t frightened her anymore, she got used to the anguish that the smell of the flowers from her father’s florists gave her and it had decreased with the years.

“I’m fine, Archie” She finally answered when they reached the florist door. “Thank you for everything.”

“We’ll continue looking for lady in a few hours.” He handed Pongo’s leash back to her.

“I don’t want to go back to Boston without her.” Belle’s voice went back to the nervous pitch and the trembling hands.

“Belle, even if you have to; your father, the people from the shelter and I will continue looking for her.” He promised her.

* * *

 

The sun came out at last, illuminating the insides of the pink house. There was no proof of the visit of the grey street dog to his backyard. With a mug of hot coffee in one hand and the other on his cane, he kept his gaze looking through the windows, waiting for that grey dog to make his appearance. Still dressed with last night’s shirt and suit pants, he had slept nearly an hour or two. The last time he felt so uneasy was the night Henry was born.

The pain on his injured leg hadn’t yet reappeared, but that didn’t mean it was permanent. It could come again in any moment. His phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. He left the mug and took his phone to read the message it was from her…Cora.

“I know your secret.”

That was everything the text said. An unpleasant shiver went down his spine. It was just about time she knew, but it ended up being too soon. His phone vibrated again on his hand.

“11:00 at the lagoon of the park.”

She texted.

* * *

 

Belle’s worst thoughts came true. After hours of looking for the cocker spaniel she had to leave town without her. Her dad took her to Boston. Two and a half hours inside the car and for most of the time Belle couldn’t help but to cry in silence. And Maurice didn’t have the courage to tell her not to do so. Belle was worried about Lady, the dog was her responsibility, and she had an emotional bond with her. But her Dad also thought it was more than that. Her beloved daughter had too much in her mind and schedule to cause her an emotional explosion.

To spend the week without Lady was the worst idea she could even think about; she made her father tell her everything they found about the dog. Maurice would hang posters with Lady’s photo, basic information and his number. He told her again and again that Storybrooke was a small town, that it wouldn’t be difficult to find the dog. But belle wasn’t that convinced.

She remembered the day she found her. Belle was walking back from class when she found a six month old cocker spaniel with her head out of a blue plastic trash bag, sat next to the dumpster, as she was still waiting for the humans who had left her there, crying and trembling. Her highed pitched moans claimed her attention. Belle looked at her, Lady made eye contact with her; and she didn’t think it twice; she took her out of that plastic bag and took her to the nearest vet to make sure she was healthy, paid for the microchip and the necessary vaccines and took her home.

Actually, her name was suggested by the vet himself. When Belle told him were she found the cocker spaniel, the vet cursed those who did that to the dog and thank the universe for people like Belle. Then, while petting the dog he said. “How could anyone abandon you? You are such a beautiful lady!” And that was it, Lady.

Maurice left her daughter at her flat’s door in Boston, he kissed her forehead, he hugged her, he suggested to go out for a coffee, but her daughter had already too much to do and study and she also had to go and pick up her car. Maurice left with concern in his heart; her beautiful daughter was going to experience a difficult week.

* * *

 

Gold got out of his car using his cane. Before him there was a green meadow with few willow trees, in the center a large lagoon which water shined with sun’s rays, surrounded by a dirt path and several wood benches. It was a quiet place to spend the time, but that morning it had a sinister connotation to Gabriel Gold.

He saw her. He had to collect all his strength to stay calm and pull aside the rage that he felt towards the determination she had to get the Viridis out of jail.

There she was, Cora, sat on one of the benches, her legs and arms crossed, he eyes fixed at a group of ducks in the lagoon.

“You’re late.” She said when he finally approached her. He didn’t say a word to reply that affirmation. He just stayed there, standing beside her with both hands on his cane. “Oh, so you are playing the tough guy, today”

“Say what you have to say and let me go back to work.” he finally spoke.

“oh, how rude, Gabriel!” she said with a provocative pitch of her voice. He looked at her with his usual emotionless face but inside, he felt really confused, that tone of her voice reminded him of the time they shared in other much less businesslike activities. Cora patted the Bench with a gently gesture of her hand.

“Sit by me, Gabriel.” She used that tone again, but he didn’t move an inch.

“What do you want?” He dismissed her attempts to take the lead role of the conversation.

She suddenly changed her face expression to serious and even irritated one. She crossed her arms again. “I want you to realize that you and your little French girl can’t win.” Gabriel responded to that affirmation raising and eyebrow. Cora left out a sight. “Didn’t you think you could accept a case without me knowing, right?” She said with a sinister giggle. “I have eyes in every corner of this little town, Gabriel. It’s part of my job.”

“I thought that was part of your daughter’s job, Cora. Or are you planning on becoming the next mayor of Storybrooke?” He answered.

“Do not change the subject.” She replied. “I called you because I found some information about that little princess; sure you know what I’m talking about.”

Gold tightened his arms around the cane handler, that depreciative pitch in her voice when she talked about Belle made him want to defend his assessor and shut that witch’s mouth up with the promise that her plan won’t succeed. But he should not fall for her provocations.

“It surprised me greatly, I must say.” She added trying to cause a reaction on him. But Gold already knew how Cora played.

“So? What do you plan on doing with that information?” He asked with the same emotionless pitch in his voice that was so hard to maintain.

Cora picked up her leather briefcase from the floor and stood up from the bench with a full smile, an expression that caused a disgusting shiver down his spine. “Nothing yet.” She finally said. “I’ll save it for a rainy day.” She sang while she walked past him.

Gold watched her leave, repressing the rage he felt inside, that move was distinctive of her; she wanted to trigger him, to distract him. Only when she left inside her expensive car, Gold raised the cane and hit that bench with all her strength. He hit it once, twice, three times and by the fourth time, a loud crack crossed the air and half of his cane fell to the dirt path. He stopped then. His eyes went to the half of his cane he was holding and then to the other half on the floor. His breath was aggressive, moving his chest up and down, his teeth tighten and his knuckles white because of the strength with which he held the cane.

* * *

 

It was Tuesday afternoon when the town mayor decided to pay the sheriff a visit. She could hear the phones ringing from the front door. Emma running from one side to the other of the office carrying folders. The Madam Mayor entered the office with her coat in one arm and a paper bag from Granny’s in the opposite hand.

“I assume it’s not a good moment.” She called Emma’s attention. The blonde woman raised her gaze to her friend and rushed to leave the folders she carried on her desk. “Hi, Regina!” She greeted her with a wide smile that showed her nervousness.

“Do I have to remind you that you can hire two more people if it’s necessary?” She reminded her. But Emma was the type of person who will carry all the weight on her shoulders. She had her dad, David Nolan, former policeman, who found the Storybrooke’s animal shelter and then decided to help her daughter. And Bae, yes, Bealfire did work there too, mostly paperwork. Storybrooke was a quiet town, with no big scandals or incidents, except for Bealfire’s murder…and also the murder of Maurice French wife.

“I’m perfectly fine; it’s just a stray dog and a couple more things.” She explained. “We always have one or two days like this, then it’s all back to normal.”

Regina looked at her with a raised eyebrow, left her coat on a table and the lent the paper bag to her friend. “Eat.” Emma took the bag instantly and looked inside it. “Grilled cheese, French fries and coke.” Regina summarized. “You eat like a child.”

Emma went to her desk and sat behind it with the sandwich already in her hand. “As a defense, I do have a child.” She left the bag on the desk and started eating the sandwich. “And I saw you eating the biggest hamburger at Granny’s so you can’t say a thing about me.”

“That was one time!” she argued. “Please, I’m the Mayor, I’m a bit more refined.”

Emma smiled while chewing, prepared to reply to that comment her friend made, but then the police station doors opened again and a series of fast steps filled the air. “Mom!” Emma stood up at once and went to receive her son’s hug. “Hey! How it was today?”

“Hello, Henry.” Reina greeted the nine year old kid. “Hello aunt Regina.” He said and went to hug her too. “Here is the smartest boy in town!” Regina hugged him back and kissed his hair.

“Why are you here and not with your grandma?” Emma asked her son and went back to her desk to pick up her meal. “Mom!” Henry replied to her upset. “Today is my first day with the explorers!”

Regina reacted when she heard that name. That was the activity group for children and pre-teens, similar to the traditional boy scouts, but the Storybrooke version. John Little was the manager of the group, they used the camping area west from toll bridge.

“Sorry Henry I forgot.” Emma apologized. “I have a lot of work, today.”

“I can take him there.” Regina announced before that situation turned into a mother-sun argument. Henry smiled from ear to ear, he was so excited to begin that he also infected Regina with that same smile.

“You can?” Emma asked without hiding her relief.

“Of course!” Regina caressed the boy’s hair. “Come on, let’s go.”

Then Emma rushed to take a pair of posters from her desk and gave them to Regina. “Before you go, give one of these to John and the parents. It’s Belle’s dog.”

“Oh, what happened?” She asked looking at the photo of the cocker spaniel on the poster. She didn’t have a strong friendship with the florist’s daughter, but they shared the same group of friends.

“Her dog escaped last Sunday night, it went after that grey dog everybody is complaining about.”

“Oh! Yes that dog.” Regina answered.

* * *

 

Regina drove her car to the camp parking, little Henry was so excited to begin the activities with the explorers; he explained all what he wanted to do with emotion in his voice. Regina could not erase her smile from her lips. She reminded his ‘nephew’ to be careful and follow the instructor’s directions. Regina kept Henry’s school bag inside the car and insisted on him keeping his coat. The two of them went inside the camping area were the rest of the kids were waiting for the activities to start.

“Hello, explorers!” A big man with long curly hair and a bear as well; John little was a kind man fully dedicated to children. His activity group aimed the awareness of the importance of nature, group work, respect and friendship. “Today I have a surprise for you. For today on we will spread out into two groups.” He spoke out loud. “I would like to introduce you to Robin Locksley, the new instructor.”

The new instructor approached the group of children and parents, and Regina felt her eyes opening too much and how her cheeks blushed. A muscular man with wide shoulders and long legs appeared in front of the group. Dark chestnut hair, short from the sides and back, bright blue eyes, a Greek nose under which there was a short beard and mustache the same color as his hair. This new instructor wore dark green pants and a grey t-shirt under a lighter green jacket and a thin scarf.

“Hello, Kids.” Sounded his voice with a sensual British accent and Regina believed she was going to melt right there and just became a poodle of feelings. “As John said, I am the new instructor, In Nottingham, where I come from, I studied veterinary and I worked a fireman.” The kids reacted with exhalations and gestures of surprise. “But eventually, I got to work at my dream job, I became a forest ranger, am a professional tracker, specialist in reptiles and, just for the parents, I also have notions of first aid.”

He was perfect, and perfectly handsome. “Thank you, Robin.” John Little said and started an applause for the new instructor. “Ok, kids, so now we are going to divide the group into two.”

And suddenly Regina found herself wanting for her nephew to be in the new instructor’s group. She crossed her fingers of both hands and when finally when John pronounced Henry’s name and assigned him to Robin’s group she could not hide her smile. The new instructor greeted every kid and asked individually for their names and who came with them so he could also greet the parents.

“Hello, I’m Robin.” He greeted Henry and shook his hand in an exaggerated move. “I’m Henry.” The kid greeted him back with a full smile. “And she is my aunt, Regina.”

His eyes met hers and a tickle went down her stomach. He made a slight smile at her blushed cheeks, she felt so ridiculous of her reaction, she was behaving like a teenager. “Nice to meet you, Regina.” She smiled and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too, Robin.”

“Robin.” John Little called him when he approached them. “May I present to you, Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke.”

Robin opened her mouth in a capital “O” due to the surprise and tried to amend his words. “Well, then, nice to meet you, Madam Mayor.” She smiled and nodded at the same time.

“Are we going to search for snakes and climb trees?” Henry’s voice interrupted the adult’s conversation. Regina reacted fast and changed into protective aunt mood. “Of course you won’t!” She answered worried about leaven her nephew alone. “And you have to promise to be careful and obey the instructor.”

Robin squatted to get to Henry’s height. “Look, to do all that you say you need to learn a lot about the trees, the animals and most important, safety.” Henry nodded a bit annoyed by his aunt’s words. “If we start today, maybe, when you are older you can climb trees and also appreciate the natural environment.” Henry nodded in silent. Robin looked up for a moment to make eye contact with the boy’s aunt and the back to the child. “But, now, you’ll have to do as I say and be careful, ok?”

“Yes.” He answered.

“Great, now go with your team mates, I’ll go in a minute.” Henry obeyed and Robin stood up again when the kid was gone. “You don’t have to worry, Madam Mayor, your nephew will have a good and safe time.”

“Thank you.” She said to both men. “Oh! and one more thing.” Regina searched inside her purse and took out the poster about Belle’s dog. “A friend of mine lost her dog last Sunday, if you see it please call the number under the photo or the police station.”

Both men took a poster and nodded to the information the Mayor said.

“We’ll keep our eyes open.” John Little said.

* * *

 

That Wednesday morning, Maurice hanged the sign that said he’ll be back in 15 minutes and crossed the road headed to Mr. Gold’s pawn shop. He hopped internally that Gabriel Gold honored his reputation as a powerful man with no limits in terms of collecting information. As he entered the Town’s monster shop, he knew he was already waiting for him. He just looked at him and went to the backs tore for an instant and got back with a thin folder which he left on the crystal counter.

“What do you know about that woman’s plan?” Maurice stated, half in anger, half in anguish.

Gold opened the thin folder and passed a pair of pages in a surprising calm movement.

“Mr. French did you know Mr. Viridis was an ex-soldier?” Gold asked with a sight.

Maurice, immerse in his nervousness twisted his cap between his hands.

“What has that to do with my wife’s death?”

“Shell shock” He answered without pulling his eyes from the paper. “That is what I believe Cora is going to allege. It has been proved by the visual evidence that was Mr. Viridis who fired the gun involved in the murder.”

Maurice didn’t know very much about law, but he could understand the basics. If Mr. Viridis was suffering such trauma, he should be inside a mental hospital, not jail. And afer ten years of jail, that could be a point in favor to his possibly parole.

“Can she do that? Will they believe her?”

Gold shrug his shoulders. “Every idea that woman could have it’s a possibility of them winning. We should not underestimate her.” Sure they should not.

“Gold, please.” Maurice’s voice trembled while his hands twisted again the dark green cap. “You have to honor your deal with Colette.”

Gold tightened his fists on the crystal counter. Every time Maurice named the deal he made with Colette he felt the urge to punch the wall. He failed. And all that was heading for disaster. He took a deep breath before continuing.

“We’ll appeal for a date when you could narrate the incident before a jury and a judge.” Gabriel explained and then he focused his eyes on his and both of his cane. “But I can’t assure that the video evidence and you testimony will be enough.”

Maurice’s face whitened at that instant, as he had seen the limits of a so called god. Deception and fear in his eyes.

“And what you suggest I say?”

“Eventually someone will ask why they chose you and not a more wealthy family to commit the crime.” Gold raised his head in a movement that flipped his front lock backwards. “I ‘suggest’ you prepare for everything, Mr. French.”

As Maurice’s face became even paler, Gold could also feel how the air inside the shop froze in fear.

* * *

 

And Friday came with no news from Lady’s escape. Belle had had one of her worst weeks. She finally adapted to the new schedule, it wasn’t common to begin new subjects before spring break, but, taking into account that her spring break was going to be a mixture of working with Gabriel Gold and studying, she didn’t care.

She attended to every seminar that could be related to her knew subjects; she left Elizabeth de Villeneuve’s diary and the mysterious photo a side. Studying also made her not think about the time and where could Lady be. Lumière tried to get her out of the routine and cheer her up, but his mission failed. Belle survived the week with a ghostly face, imagining the worst had happened to her dog, calling her dad twice a day to ask for any new information he could had and, finally, Friday came.

She went to Storybrooke with a fixed schedule in her mind: leave Pongo with Archie, because of the upcoming trip to New York, search Lady and work with Gold. That was it. All her friends were helping with the search, Eric and Ariel looked every morning and evening at the docks and beach, because the grey dog was seen there a couple times. Ruby helped with the posters, she gave one to every customer who entered the Granny’s dinner. Her father also gave some posters to the Sheriff, Emma Swan. The sensation was of hope and fraternity. She really wanted that to work, Lady was her dog, she found her, gave her a home, a collar, love, a family. Archie was happy to have pongo for a few days; he admitted he missed his wagging tail around the office and walking him to the park. Belle went then directly home to change clothes and continue searching for her cocker spaniel.

The weekend at Gold’s pawn shop was more of what she had started the previous week. Organizing the most important items of the auction, the prices, and searching for more information of the family. Gold had a new cane, a dark crystal one that it seemed maroon with the sun light, it was a beautiful one. Belle didn’t have the bravery to ask about his leg, that was too intimate and she wasn’t in the mood for one of his unfriendly answers.

The event was a three day event, distributed as the reception, the auction and a gala featuring a very expensive dinner and a ball. A BALL! What was that, a fairytale? The Darling family ended up to be a really eccentric family. That added a new problem to the trip. Belle didn’t have a Dress for the occasion. For the auction, yes but for the ball? At some point she thought about faking a stomachache, a headache, some kind of ache for that night. But she was also curious.

Saturday and Sunday passed with no news from the search of her dog. When the time came for her to leave again she felt like the Monday before, she felt like she was betraying her best furry friend. Her dad promised again to find her. They printed more posters and her father even offered a reward, and so did Granny. A ‘free breakfast for a week’ reward.

* * *

 

On Tuesday afternoon there were still no signs of Lady. Maurice French felt he was failing everyone. He was failing his dead wife, his beloved girl, Belle. That was all his fault, or at least it felt like that. Hi missed the days when things were simply, when he woke up to get belle to school and then went to the library with a special tea for his wife. The beautiful, Colette. He was so lucky to have her. He wanted those sensations back the quiet, the happiness and he was willing to do that it had to be done to restore it.

That was the reason why he returned to Gold’s shop that day.

“Gold” Maurice Rushed to the glass counter. “I’ll tell everything, everything! If...I have the guarantee that they won’t find us…that they won’t find my Belle.”

Gold needed a pair more seconds to relocate his thoughts to that conversation. He left the delicate sculpture he was cleaning on the counter, slowly.

“That’s not in mi hand.” He answered. “If you make that decision, you’ll have to deal with all the consequences.”

“But your deal…” Maurice pointed at him with one finger.

Gold’s face turned fast to a angry mark, while one of his hands searched for his cane and took it so hard, his knuckles turned white.

“My deal with your wife, Mr. French, doesn’t extend to other people knowing the reasons why she made the decisions she made.” His voice sounded hard and even threatening. “I warn you not to use the terms of my deal against me or to force me; I remind you that I offered my services to your wife and therefore, to her memory. But even my deals have its limits.”

Now Maurice seemed disappointed with that answer.

“So your power ends there.”

“I’m not a villain in any sort of fairytale, Mr. French. My ‘power’ is my hard work and intelligence. Maybe, when the time comes you’ll have to tell everything to her.”

* * *

 

Robin Locksley got out of the cabin they used to keep the equipment with three robes of different colors for the activities for the day. The air was cold and it transformed his breath into fog. He encouraged his freezing body to move fast so he could warm up much faster. Robin left the robes a side on the floor and was about to go back to the cabin to pick the orange cones when he heard a dog barking behind him. He jumped because of the surprise and turned around to see the grey street dog he had already saw and fed once or twice in the last month. He smiled and crouched down with both hands stretched out in a welcoming gesture. “Hey buddy” he greeted him. “Come here.”

But the grey dog didn’t move, he barked instead. “What’s wrong, bud?” Robin spoke again. The grey dog braked again and then turned around and went back into the woods. Locksley didn’t think it twice, he knew that meant something. He got up and followed the stray dog, which waited for him every several steps to make sure Robin was still following him. “I’m still here, bud.” he talked to the dog. “What do you want to show me?”

The stray dog guided Robin near the toll bridge and then up the hill, they walked nearly three minutes and then the dog sprinted towards the crying moans under a bush. Robin also speeded up to where the grey dog went. And there, under that bush there was a brown cocker spaniel crying while the grey dog licked her injured leg. “Hey, hello pretty one.” Robin greeted the new dog. “So you are the one they are looking for.” Her reached her collar and looked to her badge. “Lady.” He read. “Right.”

Robin carefully wrapped his arms around the cocker spaniel and picked her up. “We are going to take you home, right buddy?” He said looking to the gray dog which wagged his tail in happiness when Robin picked Lady up.

* * *

 

Belle finally closed the text book, Thursday afternoon, her suitcase half full, her mobile phone on the table and her mind restless. Her eyes already new every word on her books' pages. She needed another distraction. She eventually stood up from the sofa and went to her bed room to finish packing for the trip to New York.

She knew she wasn’t going to enjoy it; her mind was in Storybrooke searching for her dog. She felt so lonely, she missed Pongo. I the last two hours she had called her dad and Archie, this last one to talk about the Dalmatian.

Belle put her outfit for the auction in the suitcase and the shoes she was going to use with it. She looked around her and found Elizabeth’s diary on the auxiliary desk next to her bed. She surrounded the bed and she walked towards the auxiliary desk. Took the diary between her hands and looked at its cover. She felt the urge to ask for Elizabeth’s forgiveness, she had left her story aside; she had forgotten her. That feeling made her search the photo with her eyes. She found it in one of the shelves next to a pile of text books. Belle left the diary on the desk and went to take the photo. But the moment she took a step towards the shelf, her mobile phone sounded on the living room’s table.

That was the sound of hope, she ran out of her room and went to pick up her phone, but it wasn’t her father who called, no, it was Gabriel Gold.

“Gabriel.” She said when she picked up the call. “Is it everything fine? I was about to close my suitcase.”

Gabriel Gold smiled just with the sound of his name in her voice.

“Yes, I’ m just calling to tell you that there’s no need for you to take your car to the airport, I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

That sudden kindness surprised her, she even didn’t respond for a second. “Is it everything okay?” Her boss’ voice sounded from inside her mobile phone.

“Oh, yes, yes, of course!” Belle reacted as fast as her amusement let her. Gabriel Gold was goin to pick her up. And with a look around her she felt so embarrassed of the mess that her apartment was. Well, he didn’t need to come up and see it. Of course not! That was too much! Her cheeks blushed at such an image.

“Well, then, see you tomorrow.”

“Yes! I’ll text you my address.” She replied to his farewell and hung up the call. With a sigh and a hand on her hair she tried to clear the ideas that bounced inside her head. That auction was indeed a great opportunity. She considered revising all the items she and Gold had classified as most important just to make sure they were. But her mind thoughts were interrupted by the mobile’s call song. She smiled at the idea that Gabriel forgot to tell her something and was calling her again, but I wasn’t Gabriel’s number, it was her father’s.

“Dad!” She picked up the call as fast as she could.

“Belle, my love, we have her!” Maurice’s voice was full of emotion and happiness. Belle couldn’t help but let out an exclamation of pure happiness. “I’m at the vet with the man that found her, she has an injured paw but it’s nothing serious.”

Her lips trembled and she could not stop the tears from falling. “Oh! Dad, is she really fine? DO you need me there?”

“She is completely fine, Belle. I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

“Oh! What a relief, dad!” she cried. “Lady is back home!”


End file.
